Zu Ende ist alles erst am Schluss (Memories, Les souvenirs)
France 2014

Opening 26 Mar 2015

Directed by: Jean-Paul Rouve
Writing credits: David Foenkinos, Jean-Paul Rouve
Principal actors: Michel Blanc, Annie Cordy, Mathieu Spinosi, Chantal Lauby, William Lebghil

“ It isn’t over ‘till it’s over” would be the literal translation of the German movie title – and would be much more to the point than the original French or English title. This ‘philosophical comedy’ starts and ends with a funeral; undoubtedly for those ‘in the box’ it’s over. Everyone else better have a good excuse for not trying to keep going, have fun or start over if necessary. Indecisiveness might be in the way and sometimes encouragement is needed. There is a painter who simply needs a compliment to pick up his brush again, and there is a sampling of different types in the featured Esnard family alone.

After a serious fall, 85-year old recently widowed Madeleine Esnard (Annie Cordy) has been moved to an old age home without her consent. This is not what she considers ‘fun’ and – independent as she is – she disappears to reacquaint herself with her past until she decides she wants to be found. Her 23-year young grandson Romain (Mathieu Spinosi), a literature student working as a nighttime concierge in a hotel, could use some direction for his life and also some more fun. Romain’s father Michel – Michel Blanc portraying this character as a very funny French Woody-Allen-type – wallows in self-pity because of his recent retirement from the post-office and because his wife will not spend all her waking hours lavishing him with attention. We know he is not as hopeless a case as it sounds though, when he wants to drown his sorrows in a bar but worries about the health of his liver. (Carola A)