Jeux Interdits Jeux Interdits Film Guide Brendan Maher fresh film festival 2006 Jeux Interdits Jeux Interdits Introduction Director Rene Clément aka Forbidden Games Rene Clément’s 95 film explores Despite numerous awards and a the emotional trauma of war on career that covered over forty years Directori Rene Clément/ a five-year-old girl, how she deals in cinema, Rene Clément died in com- France/95/87 mins/b&w) with this trauma and also, how it is parative obscurity in 996. reflected in the world around her. Clément was born in Bordeaux Cast Set during the Second World War, in 93 and studied architecture at Brigitte Fossey Paulette five-year-old Paulette’s parents are the Ecole Des Beaux Arts. Here he Georges Poujouly Michel Dollé killed as her family is fleeing a Nazi developed an interest in film-making. Lucien Hubert Dollé, the Father attack. She comes into the care of In 936, he directed his first film, Suzanne Courtal Mme Dollé the country peasant Dollé family and ‘Soigne ton gauche’ a 0-minute Jacques Marin Georges Dollé becomes friends with their little boy short starring comic actor Jacques Laurence Badie Berthe Dollé Michel. Michel and Paulette, con- Tati. Clément continued to make Andre Wasley Gouard, the Father fronted by death around them, build short films up until 945 when he Amedee Francis Gouard a small graveyard for animals – pets filmed the French Resistance story Denise Pereonne Jeanne Gouard or farm animals that have died. The ‘La bataille du Rail’ aka ‘The Battle Louis Sainteve Priest children’s attempts to perfect the of the Rails’ which won a major prize Pierre Merovee Raymond Dollé graveyard bring them into conflict at the Cannes Film Festival. Over the with the adult world. However the following years Clément’s reputation Production children perhaps are only replicating, soared and he won Best Foreign Film Producer Robert Dorfmann in a more simple and innocent form, Oscars for ‘Au-delà des grilles’ aka Director Rene Clément the inherent hypocrisies and petty ‘The Walls of Malapaga’ (948) and Writer Jean Aurenche, Pierre Bost, jealousies of that world. ‘Jeux interdits’ (95). Rene Clément Clément’s film is often Clément’s skill is that of the Adapted from the novel described as an anti-war film and it detached observer, allowing his ‘Les Jeux Inconnus’ by Francois Boyer certainly works on that level. The film characters to make a link with the Editor Roger Dwyre also offers and unusual and calm audience. His films are calm and Musical Composer Narciso Yepes reflection on the nature of psychologi- reserved, preserving a natural tone, Art Director Paul Bertrand cal trauma and how it reveals itself. without the director making any Cinematographer Robert Juillard The honours go to Clément and his major flourishes within the story. This two young leads, who are up to the non-leading style however is all the task of bringing this difficult subject more compelling given the audience’s to the screen. strong recognition of character and situation in his films. Clément continued to have international success with several films and his 960 film ‘Plein Soleil’ aka ‘Purple Noon’ should be noted. It’s based on the book ‘The Talented Mr. Ripley’ by Patricia Highsmith (it was more recently made into a film by director Anthony Minghella with Matt Damon as Ripley). Clément’s 966 star-studded epic ‘Paris brûle-t-il? aka ‘Is Paris Burning?’ written by American writer Gore Vidal and nas- cent director Francis Ford Coppola was however, a box office failure. Clément’s cinematic style was over-taken somewhat by the more knowing styles of the French fresh film festival 2006 Jeux Interdits Nouvelle Vague movement in the Michel brings her back to his ensues between the two families. 960’s and 70’s. However he did have house, a small cottage, and the The local priest reveals that Michel is some minor successes with later films, family who is called Pollé accepts her. the thief of the crosses. making his last film in 975. In 984 Paulette buries her dog in an Michel runs away. Sneaking the French motion picture industry hon- old mill and Michel helps. He makes back home to speak to Paulette he oured him with a special César Award a cross to mark the site. The children finds that the police have arrived, not for a lifetime contribution to film. begin to bury all the dead creatures to arrest him however, but to bring they find – a mole, chickens, etc. her to an orphanage. His father prom- Synopsis Michel even kills some insects in ises that Paulette can stay, if Michel June 940, Paris is falling to the Ger- order to have more creatures to bury. tells them where the crosses are. man invasion. Five year-old Paulette Death also comes to the Pollé Michel relents, telling him of the old flees the city with her parents. On a house, when Michel’s brother Georg- mill. His father breaks his promise country road, the Nazi planes bomb es, injured in an earlier accident, and Paulette is taken away. the refugees. Paulette’s dog runs up dies. Michel, egged on by Paulette, Michel goes to the mill and the road, she chases after him, her steals crosses from the hearse and destroys the graveyard. parents following her. Her parents from the church, in order to put them Paulette is brought by a nun are killed in the attack. Moved on by up in the animal graveyard. to a holding area and told that she the swell of people, the separated The Pollé’s are having a is going to an orphanage. As the Paulette carries the lifeless body of disagreement with their next door nun goes away on other business, her dog into the countryside, where neighbours, the Gouards and when the waiting Paulette walks into the she encounters Michel, a nine-year the cross goes missing from their crowded area and disappears amidst old boy. recently buried brother’s grave, a fight the throng of people. fresh film festival 2006 3 Jeux Interdits Production Details Historical Background One of the most interesting aspects of ‘Jeux Interdits’ production is the The film is set during the Second World War ( 939-45) and the film’s main fact the film started off as a short action set piece, the air raid, is a defining moment. However, whilst there is film. This original short was to be talk of deserters between the feuding families with Gouard’s son returning the middle part of a film with three from battle, the majority of the film is set in a pastoral France, away from distinct segments. Funds dried up for the fighting. The following timeline should give an indication on outside the full film with just ‘Jeux Interdits’ events during the time the film is set in: shot. Clément presented the short to producer Robert Dorfmann who be- September 1939 June 10th lieved that there was more of a story Britain and France declare war on Italian Dictator Benito Mussolini to be told and the film was extended Nazi Germany following Germany’s declares war on France. and new funding secured. The cast invasion of Poland. and crew reconvened a year later to June 11th complete work. The child actors had 10th May 1940 Paris is under threat by rapidly grown slightly and dresses and trou- Hitler launches attack on Western advancing German forces. The sers had to be lengthened. Georges front and invades France. capital is declared an ‘open city’ Pojouly (Michel) also had to wear a – meaning that the city is unde- wig for these new scenes as his hair 23rd May fended and should not be attacked had been cut for a different film, in The German Army breaks through or bombed. This measure is taken the intervening time. The outcome is French lines at Sedan. to protect remaining civilians, who virtually un-noticeable with the new have not evacuated. scenes merging faultlessly with the 4th June original production. 340,000 British, French and June 13th Belgian forces evacuate from Dun- French troops abandon Paris Trauma kirk in Northern France. ‘Trauma’ can mean the physical as- June 14th pects of an injury, however in psychia- June 7th German troops enter Paris. try, ‘trauma’ has assumed a different Rommel’s VII Panzer Division meaning and refers to an experience advance to Forges-les-Eaux - June 16th that is emotionally painful, distress- 37 miles in two days. French Prime Minister Paul Raynaud’s ful, or shocking, which often results in cabinet, located in Bordeaux, is lasting mental and physical effects. June 8th ousted by Marshall Pétain. In ‘Jeux Interdits’, it’s obvious French troops withdraw from the that Paulette is emotionally trau- Somme region. June 17th matized by the loss of her parents. Pétain broadcast to the French Added to this, is the fact that she people urging them to stop fighting. hasn’t been given any chance to He also asks the Germans for the grieve her loss. She takes her dog’s terms of an armistice. body with her, perhaps because it is something she can carry that repre- 22nd June sents her loss. Pétain signs armistice with Germany. In burying the dog, Paulette France is divided into occupied and begins a ritual in which she may unoccupied zones. The Germans be playing out her grief - a way of directly control three-fifths of the compensating for not having had the country including northern and western opportunity with her parent’s death. France and the entire Atlantic coast.