Ma Vie En Rose (1997)

               Ma Vie En Rose              

NETFLIX SYNOPSIS:  Seven-year-old Ludovic (Georges Du Fresne) is convinced he’s a girl trapped in a boy’s body in this whimsical Belgian film. His expressions of sexual identity, which include wearing dresses and starring in a classroom performance of “Snow White,” put a strain on his family and elicit teasing and intolerance from his schoolmates and neighbors. Ma Vie En Rose was an international film festival smash and received a Best Foreign Film Golden Globe.

Director: Alain Berliner

Cast: Michele Laroque, Jean-Philippe Ecoffey, Helene Vincent, Georges Du Fresne, Daniel Hanssens, Laurence Bibot, Jean-Francois Gallotte, Caroline Baehr, Julien Riviere, Marie Bunel

Awards:
1998 BAFTA®: Best Foreign Language Film nominee
1998 Golden Globe: Best Foreign Film

Review: Finally – a film that deals with such issues in a compassionate, non-melodramatic, non-heavy-handed fashion.  That’s what makes the film good, but to actually add humor and whimsy and leave you feeling enchanted and endeared to the family makes the film great.  Add a great soundtrack and the delightful “Pam and Ben” fantasy montages
(Belgium’s counterpart to Barbie and Ken it seems) reminiscent of the great fantasy scenes in Kamikaze Girls and you have yourself a must- see film for anyone of any age.

The film shows the complete innocence of Ludovic who adamantly believes he’s a girl trapped in a boy’s body.  He has no knowledge of homosexuals, transsexuals – and the great opening scene where his parents are introducing the kids at the housewarming party they’re throwing to welcome themselves into the new neighborhood shows that the film has a humorous overtone, but is clearly dealing with some deeper issues.  When the parents announce “their son” Ludovic, he comes out dressed up to the nines in…his older sister’s clothes.  Everyone at the party is stunned, but the family’s excuse clearly reflects that they know about Ludo’s “condition.”

The actor who plays Ludovic is perfect for this role – androgynous and innocent – and is perfectly suited to playing both a girl and boy.  He goes through a lot as you can imagine, moving to this new affluent, suburban neighborhood where the family is at first very welcomed and the kids all play together.  The actors who play his mom (PERFECT casting) and his father (I’ve seen him in other films but can’t recall his name) are wonderful.  The mother is such a great personality on screen – she’s a compassionate human being who loves her kids and thinks that they should grow up as they are, but when Ludo continues acting and behaving like a girl, causing his father to lose his job, the neighbors to sign a petition to kick Ludo out of school, and for the family to eventually move out of the neighborhood because they can’t afford the payments on the house, even the heretofore strong mother becomes frustruated.  The fun and open-minded grandmother consistently wants Ludovic to just grow up as he wants and the beleaguered father clearly loves his son as well though he doesn’t understand his son’s behavior and walks out of one of the psychologist’s sessions.  Ludovic’s siblings are great as well.

None of the family’s characters play out as superficial or inauthentic.  Rather, you see them struggle – especially with the mother, who’s trying to be open-minded and let her son do as he wishes struggles with frustration and the real-life effects of Ludovic’s behavior.

In the end, what Ludovic’s “true” identity is is really not the point of the movie.  The point is the strength of Ludovic’s family in dealing with the thick and thin results of his behavior.

Final Rating: 4.5 stars.  An absolutely charming, endearing must-see movie.  And bring the little ones if you have them!

Audrey