AFI's blog

By Cameron Koller
Special to the Daily News

The French have a peculiar method of filmmaking. A CHRISTMAS TALE runs nearly two and a half hours and contains very little true “narrative” though rich in story and character. Renowned French director Arnaud Desplechin, who also co-wrote, has crafted a rich tapestry of family: past, present, and future, with a healthy dose of dramatic mania and humor. The story is told in a style that seems to evoke memory rather than realism. Though events transpire chronologically they are linked by a loose arch; favoring the individual moment over the big picture. Desplechin creates a filmic world uniquely French in execution, yet universal in its themes.

A CHRISTMAS TALE
6:45 p.m. Sunday, November 2nd ArcLight 10
7:30 p.m. Friday, November 7th LACMA

A CHRISTMAS TALE opens by chronicling the long-past death of the first-born son, explaining the present-day tension between the sister, Elizabeth, the younger brother, Henri, and the parents.

Years later, as the family prepares for an annual holiday get-together, Henri is the black-sheep and Elizabeth has developed a seething hatred towards him that may or may not be tied to events past. As the event approaches, the mother, Junon, is diagnosed with Lydell Syndrome which stands a good chance of turning into leukemia. The one possible way to prevent this is to find a compatible marrow donor from her incredibly dysfunctional family. This single plot-thread ties together an otherwise episodic structure, which is quite dense despite its runtime.

A CHRISTMAS TALE’S density mostly owes to the relationships, which Desplechin and co-writer Emmanuel Bordieu develop over time. Most interesting among these is the triangle of Junon, Henri, and Elizabeth. Two compatible donors are found among the family, and relationships grow heated and competitive in the way sibling rivalries sometimes can. Contributing to the touchy complications are Henri’s new lover, Elizabeth’s schizophrenic son, and their younger sibling Ivan. All and none of these characters are the protagonists of this holiday tale, each providing an individual piece of a much larger puzzle.

Desplechin has an excellent script to work with, but it’s as vital that the actors make us identify with these characters. They succeed in spades. Catherine Deneuve injects Junon with all the wit and sarcasm that befits her, but she most importantly projects warmth and love toward her family in a way that feels natural. Mathieu Amalric (who played Jean-Do in last year’s The Diving Bell and the Butterfly) here acts with bombast and melancholy that befits Henri and further demonstrates that he’s an actor to pay attention to. Besides these two, one could go on at length at the restraint and sincerity of Jean-Paul Roussillon as Abel, the father, Anne Consigny as Elizabeth, and so many others. Instead, let it be simply known to those watching A CHRISTMAS TALE for the first time that this is one of the best examples of ensemble casting at AFI Fest this year.

Those who are fans of French cinema must see A CHRISTMAS TALE. Some consider Arnaud Desplechin one of the finest modern artists in the French film industry. A CHRISTMAS TALE presents even more evidence that those appreciators of cinema are onto something.

Though this year’s AFI Fest is incredibly impressive as a whole, A CHRISTMAS TALE stands as one of the most important works of the festival.

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