On the surface, Emporte-Moi | Set Me Free has a lot going for it. We profiled that earlier this month as the film ran on Turner Classic Movies. Did the film live up to the anticipation?
The trailer conveys a bit of fun and reflection within the film. There are a few dark moments in the life of Hanna (Karine Vanasse). Her father (Miki Manojlovic) is a struggling poet with a violent temper at times. Her mother (Pascale Bussières) works hard to support the family and is usually tired.
Hanna stands out in her class coming from a Jewish father and a Catholic mother and not identifying with either religion. While co-habitation is a bigger thing in Quebec, at the times, her unmarried parents made her stand out.
Hanna's search for a role model takes her into the theatre to Nana, played by Anna Karina, in Vivre sa vie, the Jean-Luc Godard film.
Hanna experiences her first kiss from her older brother Paul (Alexandre Mérineau) at the beach. She meets Laura (Charlotte Christeler) where she has her first romantic kiss. Hanna introduces Paul to Laura, who shows more interest in Paul.
Emporte-Moi | Set Me Free also speaks to the impact of role models on a young woman going through a lot in her life. Nana serves that purpose as does her teacher (Nancy Huston). Huston was one of the writers for the film.
Hanna takes that comparison to Nana to an extreme in what is an uncomfortable scene but necessary in telling Hanna's story.
The dark moments are a bit of a shock to the system. Vanasse has a lot on her plate and handles that with surprising courage and determination. Léa Pool asks a lot and gets a lot from her lead actress. The film has a good pace and makes you care about the characters.
Did the film live up to the hype? No film ever lives up to what you might think in your head. The film is realistic in the good times and the bad times. Your heart pulls for Hanna, even if the odds aren't good. Pool and Vanasse create a performance where you really want to know what is going on in her brain.
Canadian film notebook: Turner Classic Movies to show Emporte-Moi
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Emporte-Moi | Set Me Free was Canada's nominee for the Academy Awards for what was then the Best Foreign Language Film but did not reach the shortlist. The film did win the Toronto Film Critics Association Award for Best Canadian Film of 1999. The film did receive 8 Jutra nominations, winning 4 awards: Best Actress (Vanasse), Supporting Actress (Bussières), Direction, and Art Direction. Emporte-Moi | Set Me Free garnished Genie nominations for Best Director and Best Screenplay.
photo credit: Emporte-Moi | Set Me Free
video credit: YouTube/varineas
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