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IFFR 2010
"VITAL SIGNS" of Sophie Deraspe missed a Vpro Tiger award.
critique
rédigé par Espéra Donouvossi
publié le 23/07/2010
Espéra Donouvossi
Espéra Donouvossi
Sophie Deraspe
Sophie Deraspe
Affiche américaine
Affiche américaine
Vital signs, de Sophie Deraspe
Vital signs, de Sophie Deraspe
Vital signs, de Sophie Deraspe
Vital signs, de Sophie Deraspe
Vital signs, de Sophie Deraspe
Vital signs, de Sophie Deraspe
Vital signs, de Sophie Deraspe
Vital signs, de Sophie Deraspe
Vital signs, de Sophie Deraspe
Vital signs, de Sophie Deraspe
Vital signs, de Sophie Deraspe
Vital signs, de Sophie Deraspe
Vital signs, de Sophie Deraspe
Vital signs, de Sophie Deraspe
Vital signs, de Sophie Deraspe
Vital signs, de Sophie Deraspe
Vital signs, de Sophie Deraspe
Vital signs, de Sophie Deraspe
Vital signs, de Sophie Deraspe
Vital signs, de Sophie Deraspe

They are dying, and all they need is a good gesture from the heart. "VITAL SIGNS" directed by young Canadian filmmaker, Sophie Deraspe, evokes a sublime appeal to humanity. The entire film is a set, a metaphorical scene. It reveals a lifestyle that is closer to mankind, and calls on a free moral duty. Why should we care about dying old people, especially when they are not even our relatives?

In a social care center for old and dying people, Simone, (Marie Helene Bellavance), is offering her loyal and free assistance as a social worker. She is keen on finding out and satisfying the last needs of the dying. This is exactly what Sophie Dreaspe's screenplay shows. Nevertheless, her decision raises many questions and also reticence. First, her boyfriend is suspecting something bad, which will result in ending their relationship. Secondly, the assisted old and dying people are surprised, even happy and actually enjoying Simone's help.
The professional staff at the social center is questioning Simone's good intention. In this atmosphere of doubt and constantly questionings, the director proves some refined skills in filmmaking techniques. Through the logical structure of the sensitive and touching scenes, the spectator can quickly agree with Simone and stay captivated by the whole story. Built up with Sophie's camera, Simone takes the audience into the parameters of a true love story and explores effectively the last needs of dying people.

The very simple story, close to everyday-life, opens the doors to many families living with their dying grandparents - some waiting for the moment to go /while others prefer euthanasia to shorten their pain. In these situations, Simone interferes, but additionally, she also has to assume her duties to her boyfriend, Boris.

The aesthetics of the theme and the astonishing and sometimes even chocking marriages of the opposites carried by the film, make the realities of dying people visible and understandable through a metaphoric feedback of young people, represented by Simone and Boris. This makes the film even more enjoyable.

Even though inexperienced, the cast has made it.

"Simone has never played in a film before!" said Sophie Deraspe, the director. But she successfully made it in "Vital signs". She leads and actually represents the psychology of the film. So do the characters of the old people acting in this lovely film. The attitude of the cast, the selection of shooting places and the dynamism in the speech construction gives the impression that we see a documentary. But it is not a documentary.
Between the social center and Boris' house, Simone, in complicity with the director, holds the attention of the spectator and makes cling to the beautiful story until the end of the film. This attention becomes more intense in the middle of the film, when we discover the unbelievable physical condition of Simone. The director surprises us magically and sadly, showing Simone's physical disability. How is it possible? This is the question that follows the astonishing shot and arouses all the senses at the social center, of Boris' as well as the audience. The director shows this through nice shots, brilliant actors' performances and great filmmaking techniques.

In cinema, decoration matters.

The director makes sure that the film gets closer and closer to everyday-life. The director said, "This social center was abandoned and for the needs of my shooting, we restored it" Obviously, everything around is in fact/that we see is a real social center. The artistic added decoration is to corrupt the audience to totally adhere the psychology of the screenplay.

Sex and metaphor

"Where is the director taking us?" One might ask this question while seeing the genital organs in "Vital signs". The director Sophie Deraspe answers this question and says "I just show sex to say more and raise awareness about the vulnerability of human existence. By showing nudity, I mean that no one is eternally strong. We are all supposed to witness the weakness while the time goes on" This metaphor is well located when Sophie Deraspe shows simultaneously old dying people weak genital organs and Simone and Boris, two young people organs as well.
All this is done thanks to the concordance of the scenes and the amazing performance of the actors.

Good but not enough for IFFR 2010 VIPRO Tiger

"Vital signs" could have been one of the most remarkable features competing for VPRO Tiger awards at the 39th International Film Festival Rotterdam. But the VPRO Tiger Awards were given to AGUA FRIA DE MAR by Paz Fábrega from Costa Rica, MUDANE HISTORY by Anocha Suwichakornpong from Thailand and ALAMAR by Mexican director Pedro González-Rubio.

Concerning AGUA FRIA DE MAR, the jury said that the film'succeeded in telling the story of a mysterious relationship between a woman and a young girl in a convincing and poetic manner. The film takes the audience on an unusual journey through a nature that interacts with people in a magical way. The superb editing ensures an organic flow of images, whilst the strong directing and disturbing atmosphere create tension.'

MUDANE HISTORY, about the wavering relationship between a bitter invalid and his new carer offered philosophical and political insight into aspects of Thai society, according to the jury report.'For us this film appeals to both intelligence and spirituality. We are impressed by the accomplished interplay of abstract ideas and harrowing reality in this film'.

ALAMAR is a film that'touches deeply without being too sentimental'. This film, is about a father and a son who go on a journey to the source of the open sea to find their old way of life. The film is'true and honest to its subject and shows both the good fortune and tragedy of being a child with divorced parents', according to the jury.
The FIPRESCI award from international film critics was given this year to LET EACH ONE GO WHERE HE MAY from Ben Russell, a film that was also nominated for a VPRO Tiger Award.

Espera G. Donouvossi

19/05/2009

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