This Life of Mine (French: Ma vie ma gueule) is a 2024 French comedy-drama film written and directed by Sophie Fillières. It was Fillières's final film after her death in 2023.[1]
It had its world premiere as the opening film of the Directors' Fortnight section at the 77th Cannes Film Festival on 15 May 2024. It is scheduled to be theatrically released on 18 September 2024 by Jour2Fête.
Premise
Barbie travels to the Scottish Highlands on a journey of self-discovery.
Cast
- Agnès Jaoui as Barberie "Barbie" Bichette
- Angélina Woreth as Rose
- Édouard Sulpice as Junior
- Philippe Katerine as Katerine Philippe
- Valérie Donzelli as The Sister
- Laurent Capelluto as Bertrand Blanc
- Isabelle Candelier (voice) as The Friend on the Phone
- Emmanuel Salinger as Doctor Radjabov
- Maxence Tual as Doctor Boulin
Production
This Life of Mine is the seventh feature directed by Sophie Fillières, who died in July 2023 shortly after completing the shoot of the film. She was hospitalised after the shoot and realised she would not survive the illness. She asked Agathe and Adam Bonitzer, her children with Pascal Bonitzer, and her producer Julie Salvador to oversee the post-production. A month after her death, Agathe and Adam assisted Francois Quiqueré in editing the film and used notes that their mother had written while in the hospital.[2]
Fillières wrote the film's screenplay five years earlier. In the production notes, she insisted that the protagonist Barbie was not autobiographical in nature. However, the lead actress Agnès Jaoui commented that she often felt that she was portraying Fillières. During the production, she was made to wear the director's own clothes and her rings. The role of the therapist was portrayed the Fillières's real-life psychologist of 30 years.[2]
Salvador produced the film through her Paris-based company Christmas in July.[2]
Release
The film was selected to be screened as the opening film of the Directors' Fortnight section at the 77th Cannes Film Festival, where it had its world premiere on 15 May 2024.[3] It won the SACD Authors' Favorite Prize (Coup de cœur des auteurs SACD de la Quinzaine des Cinéastes), an award for best French-language film in the section, presented by France's Société des Auteurs et Compositeurs Dramatiques.[4][5]
The film is set to be released in France on 18 September 2024 by Jour2Fête,[6] with the company's sales arm The Party Film Sales handling world sales for the film.[7]
Reception
Critical response
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 89% of 9 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6/10.[8]
Accolades
| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cannes Film Festival | 23 May 2024 | SACD Authors' Favorite Prize | Sophie Fillières | Won | [9] |
References
- ^ Lodge, Guy (16 May 2024). "'This Life of Mine' Review: A Middle-Aged Woman Collapses and Rebuilds In Sophie Fillières' Bittersweet Final Feature". Variety. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
- ^ a b c Leffler, Rebecca (15 May 2024). "The bittersweet story behind Directors' Fortnight opener 'This Life Of Mine'". Screen International. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
- ^ "The Screenings Guide of the 77th Festival de Cannes". Festival de Cannes. 8 May 2024. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
- ^ Dalton, Ben (23 May 2024). "Matthew Rankin's 'Universal Language' wins inaugural Cannes Directors' Fortnight audience award". Screen International. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
- ^ Lang, Jamie (23 May 2024). "Sophie Fillières Posthumously Wins Directors' Fortnight Award with 'This Life of Mine,' 'Universal Language' Wins Audience Award". Variety. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
- ^ "Ma vie ma gueule" (in French). Jour2Fête. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
- ^ "Ma vie ma gueule". Quinzaine des cinéastes. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
- ^ "This Life of Mine". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
- ^ "Ma vie ma gueule de Sophie Fillières, Coup de cœur des auteurs SACD de la Quinzaine des Cinéastes". SACD.fr (in French). 23 May 2024. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
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