Short Film Review 1

Angel Face (2018)
Directed by: Vanessa Filho
Written by: Diastème, Vanessa Filho
Produced by: Stéphane Célérier, Valérie Garcia
Starring: Marion Cotillard, Ayline Aksoy-Etaix, Alban Lenoir
Run-time: 108 Minutes


     Vanessa Filho “succeeded” in making a film so uncomfortable, you will want to get up and walk out almost the entire time you are watching it. At first I wondered if it was maybe the fact that the content in Angel Face was so heart-wrenching that made it all so distasteful. The film follows the storyline of an alcoholic, selfish, negligent mother (Marlene) played by Marion Cotillard and her daughter (Elli) played by Ayline Aksoy-Etaix who deals with every repercussion of the decisions her mother makes. There were small moments of beauty in the film -- the close-up shots of the mother and daughter and the sheer portrayal of the utter brokenness that children of alcoholism and negligence experience. However, the film does not bring enough characterization or plot to effectively provide a sense of meaning or closure. Elli’s story is worth being told and unfortunately, this film did not do her any justice.