Céline Sciamma is one of the most exciting filmmakers working today. After dazzling cinephiles back in 2019 with her instant classic, Portrait of a Lady on Fire, there was no doubt that the intrigue would be at an all-time high for her follow-up.
Despite working on a smaller canvas, Sciamma’s Petite Maman explores loss in a much more tangible way as she delivers another masterfully crafted portrait that examines the mother-daughter relationship with elegance and grace.
With Petite Maman, Sciamma returns to the topic of her first three films: childhood. The film follows 8-year-old Nelly (Joséphine Sanz). After the loss of her grandmother, Nelly and her family visit her mother’s childhood home, where her parents intend to look through what they want to hold on to or throw out. As her parents do the work around the house, Nelly explores the surrounding woods, recalling old memories from stories her mother had told her about when she was her age. While wandering those woods, Nelly comes across another girl her age named Marion (Gabrielle Sanz), who happens to bear a striking resemblance to Nelly.
Please make no mistake about it; Petite Maman does not overstay its welcome.
With a runtime of 72 minutes, it’s impressive that the film can profoundly impact its viewer as the short-run time leaves little room for error. Sciamma uses every bit of those 72 minutes to craft a story that skillfully keeps its focus on Nelly’s point of view while weaving in between the world of the adults. That allows you to intertwine Nelly’s mother’s grief for the loss while capturing the importance of the mother-daughter relationship and the love that relationship embodies.
Petite Maman also shines a light on Sciamma’s talent in directing child actors. Both Sanz sisters are a delight to watch on screen. They step up to the challenge of leading this film and offer nuanced, natural, sweet performances that make these two of the best child performances of the year. Sciamma can explore their growing bond in the most simplistic yet effective way. Their chemistry and closeness are undeniable, from making pancake batter to building a fort out in the woods.
The audience can’t ignore Claire Mathon’s beautiful cinematography. Mathon captures how relaxing and beautiful the woods can genuinely be. In its fall season glory, the changing color of the leaves is stunning and serves as an integral backdrop to the Sanz sisters.
While the film’s finale may feel ambiguous to some, Petite Maman provides a warm, hopeful conclusion. Yes, Nelly’s mother’s sadness remains, but because of the transpiring events, Nelly begins to understand her mother, not just as a mom but as a person.
