Critics have called the prolific French writer Florian Zeller “the most exciting playwright of our times,” and his second film as writer-director confirms that he’s equally adept when it comes to cinema. Despite Anthony Hopkins’ Academy Award for Best Actor, The Father didn’t find the audience it should have (its release coincided with COVID-19). His follow-up, adapted from the play of the same name by Zeller’s regular English translator, Christopher Hampton, is as sharp, insightful, and devastating. Teenager Nicolas (Zen McGrath) is suffering from depression and has stopped going to school. It’s so bad, his mom Kate (Laura Dern) hands him over to his father, Peter (Hugh Jackman), who is celebrating a baby with his new wife, Beth (Vanessa Kirby). Perhaps a stepbrother will raise Nic’s spirits? Peter vows to do everything he can to help—but Nic descends still further.
As in The Father, Zeller uses the subjectivity of the camera to access mental spaces that seem impenetrable from the outside. There are no easy answers here, but the film’s emotional pull is direct and undeniable.
Presented by
Florian Zeller
Hugh Jackman, Laura Dern, Vanessa Kirby, Zen McGrath, Hugh Quarshie, Anthony Hopkins
UK
2022
English
Self Harm
Book Tickets
Missing VIFF? Check out what's playing at the VIFF Centre
The Things You Kill
Thirty-something professor Ali leads an apparently stable life. But when his ailing mother dies under ambiguous circumstances, he starts to unravel, resulting in an act that shatters our understanding of his person.
Analogue Revolution: How Feminist Media Changed the World
Bonnie Thompson, Bonnie Sherr Klein, Moira Simpson, Zainub Verjee, Judy Rebick are among the Canadian feminist creatives who recount tales from the trenches, the gory glory days of 1970s, 80s and 90s, before the internet changed everything.
Nika & Madison
Two young Indigenous women become fugitives following an act of self-defence and are forced to flee into the wilderness. Inspired by Thelma and Louise, this compelling story of unbreakable friendship sheds light on systemic injustices.
Credits
Executive Producer
Simon Gillis, Philippe Carcassonne, Hugh Jackman, Daniel Battsek, Ollie Madden, Lauren Dark, Peter Touche, Christelle Conan, Hugo Grumbar, Tim Haslam
Producer
Joanna Laurie, Iain Canning, Emile Sherman, Florian Zeller, Christophe Spadone
Screenwriter
Christopher Hampton, Florian Zeller
Cinematography
Ben Smithard
Editor
Yorgos Lamprinos
Production Design
Simon Bowles
Original Music
Hans Zimmer