
- December 06, 2022
Amanda - Film - Mikhaël Hers - 2018
David, 24, lives in Paris thanks to several odd jobs. He is very close to his older sister, Sandrine, who is raising her 7-year-old daughter Amanda alone. One summer evening, Sandrine is killed in a terrorist attack. David suddenly finds himself caring for his niece. Adult and child, bereaved at the same time, learn to live together and to live without Sandrine. With great delicacy and sensitivity, this film describes the mourning process for a child, but also for a close adult. It evokes the difficult rebalancing of daily life and relationships between the bereaved and the victims of the attack. The scene in which David tells Amanda of his mother's death is an apt one. Friends who were present during the attack and who were injured also experience signs of psychotrauma, such as avoidance and hypervigilance. Fenvac is mentioned, as is the importance of psychological follow-up. The story is credible, never maudlin, always modest and fair. However, a sexual scene makes it unsuitable for viewing with children and young teenagers. A luminous film, without pathos but with emotions on a difficult subject, succeeds in the tour de force of ending with appeasement and hope. The only drawback of this otherwise remarkable film is its focus on Paris and a wealthy milieu, which detracts from its universal appeal.
- Film