My Son

Martial Fougeron’s first feature is a powerful family drama with a disarming effect.

In a little provincial town, Nathalie Baye plays a mother presiding over a family of four.  Her husband, a university professor, is consumed by his work and once her daughter (Suzanne) leaves home for university, the majority of her time is spent on her adolescent son, Julien.  However, as he is reaching a formative age, when external interests start to gain more importance, changes start to manifest in their relationship.  The mother does not take well to these and an unstoppable jealously begins to put a heavy and untenable strain upon their relationship.

Fougeron’s deceptively simple story is an accomplished work which demonstrates great insight and serves up ample suspense.  His mannered mise-en-scène and meticulous observation draws out the tension that pervades this explosive familial situation.  The actors rise to the challenge of the highly-charged, dramatic script and the central pair of Nathalie Baye and Victor Sévaux (Julien) play out the oedipal confrontation with conviction.  In addition, they are ably supported by Dardenne’s regular Olivier Gourmet (The Son) and the enigmatic Emmanuelle Riva (Hiroshima mon amour).