Actress Agathe embarks on a journey in order to uncover the full story of the life of her grandmother, Solange. Digging through artworks, writing, and old family archives, Agathe and her filmmaker friend Louise learn about a fascinating past, and reflect on the passage of time in their own lives.
The past is brought to life with the adoration that only a relative could have. Through her eyes, we see a woman whose creativity was boundless, but perhaps hindered by the expectations of being a wife and mother in Solange’s generation. Through exhibitions of her work, we see Agathe connect with the woman she discovers she only partly knew, leading to some rather touching moments. In particular, children’s stories written by Solange being read by Agathe’s son are particularly striking, showing that art can find its audience even if it is lost for years.
Visually, filmmaker Louise Narboni weaves together artfully shot present-day footage with old family videos, creating an elegance that respects the intimacy of the journey. We aren’t just seeing the people, places, and memories of an individual, we are also feeling what it meant to Agathe then, and now. It ruminates on how locations can be linked to a particular period in our lives, making it difficult to return to these places. Through her experiences, we also confront the idea of what we achieve in our own lives. Agathe is in her 30s, at a point where we are still young but has some experience behind us. As she sees the narrative of her grandmother’s life, the film asks questions about what it is that makes a life complete – accomplishment? Family? Personal fulfilment? It’s a question left enticingly open.
Despite this intrigue, the closeness of the creates to the subject matter creates a familiarity that can feel intrusive to watch. Cinematically, it can be akin to reading a stranger’s diary, capturing interesting facts but lacking the connection with the author to get the full emotional impact. At just over 70 minutes, the swiftness of the film means this isn’t a dealbreaker, but a longer film might have bore more context.
At its best, Agathe, Solange and Me captures the experience of discovering who your family are. Made with sincerity and heart, it will prompt you to look into your own personal history to see what new chapters open.
Agathe, Soland and Me shows online for free throughout the entire month of December as part of ArteKino 2024.
