Petite Maman Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		3.5

Petite Maman Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov August 29, 2023

Celine Sciamma "Petite Maman" (2021) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion. The supplemental features on the release include flmed conversation between Celine Sciamma and Joachim Trier; the animated film "My Life as a Zucchini"; and original trailers. In French, with optional English subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".

Had Nelly (Josephine Sanz) known that the passing of her grandmother was inevitable, she could have said goodbye the right way. She talked to her a few days ago and they parted ways as they always did. She should have asked questions and tried to understand how serious her grandmother’s condition was. She is only eight years old but this cannot be a good excuse for missing the obvious, can it?

At her grandmother’s house, Nelly casually confesses to her mother (Nina Meurisse) how she feels. It would not change anything but admitting her mistake makes her feel better. Not a lot, just a little, because her grandmother was one of her best friends. Her passing has left a huge void that would take a long time to overcome. Many months, maybe even many years.

Even though she is much older, Nelly’s mother is going through a similarly difficult period. Nelly’s father (Stephane Varupenne) has been trying to comfort her but it has not worked well. On the morning after they arrived at her grandmother’s house, Nelly’s father told her that her mother had to leave early, and she knew exactly why. The house had brought back memories that instantly exacerbated the pain and made it unbearable. Now Nelly’s father would have to go through her grandmother’s belongings and clean the house alone.

While exploring the nearby forest, Nelly meets Marion (Gabrielle Sanz) who is building a tree house. They quickly bond but not because they are the same age. There is something else, something invisible that makes them want to be together. Both girls can feel it.

When a light rain forces the girls to run back to Marion’s house, Nelly discovers that it is identical to her grandmother’s house -- the hallway, the rooms, even the colors of the walls. In the house, Nelly then detects the presence of pain, present and future, that could abruptly remove Marion from her life, too. Is that what is about to happen? Or could it be that her mind is misleading her in an odd attempt to compensate for its failure to predict the passing of her grandmother?

It all begins to make perfect sense to Nelly when Marion casually reveals that in a few days she is going to have surgery and is already scared. The surgery is necessary to avoid complications from a hereditary condition that years ago crippled her mother. Then, shortly before they part ways, Nelly also casually reveals to Marion that she knows plenty about her future. Years from now, Marion will become Nelly’s mother.

Celine Sciamma’s latest film, Petite Maman, is a classic cinematic séance that temporarily merges the real and the surreal but without any of the sophisticated trickery that is usually utilized to make it appear legit. It behaves like a film that could have been conceived by Robert Bresson, emphasizing minimalism and the importance of atmosphere, avoiding dialog as much as possible. It prefers to connect with its audience through solitude and silence, stillness rather than motion.

But there is a sea of difference between the way Sciamma and Bresson use the camera as an observer and this is a huge liability for Petite Maman. Indeed, when Sciamma observes Nelly and Marrion a lot of material looks and feels staged, creating the impression that Petite Maman desires to be seen as a very particular arty film. In a great Bresson film like A Man Escaped nothing looks or feels staged, the camera is simply an invisible observer of events that happen to be parts of a special story and the passage of time.

Several sequences partially redeem Petite Maman, but not because they are brilliantly staged and shot by Sciamma. The two girls just look genuinely happy to be together or slightly intimidated by the reality of the adults around them.

Petite Maman Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.85:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Petite Maman arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion.

The entire film looked fabulous on my system, though this is hardly surprising considering that it was completed in 2021. The footage from the forest was particularly impressive. Colors are lush but also natural, so there are plenty of very subtle nuances. I did not encounter any anomalies to report in our review. Image stability is outstanding. (Note: This is a Region-A "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-A or Region-Fre player in order to access its content).

Petite Maman Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: French DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. Optional English subtitles are provided for the main feature.

The film does not have a prominent music soundtrack, so all of the dynamic contrasts are very, very modest. The dialog is clear, sharp, and always easy to follow. Do not expect to hear impressive surround movement. Given how the film was shot and the audio mixed, I think that a 2.0 track could have been just as effective. The English translation is excellent.

Petite Maman Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Trailers - presented here are a couple of trailers for Petite Maman. In French, with English subtitles. (4 min).

• My Life as a Zucchini - directed by Claude Barras and based on an adapted script by Celine Sciamma, My Life as a Zucchini was nominated for Academy Award for Best Animated Features. In 2017, Universal Pictures Home Entertainment and GKIDS introduced My Life as a Zucchini with this Blu-ray release. In French, with English subtitles. French Dolby Digital 5.1. (68 min).

• Celine Sciamma and Joachim Trier - in this new program, Celine Sciamma and Joachim Trier (The Worst Person in the World) discuss the conception, themes, and style of Petite Maman. In English, not subtitled. (22 min).

• Leaflet - an illustrated leaflet featuring an essay by author So Mayer and technical credits.

Petite Maman Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

While growing up, children often spend much of their time in places that make perfect sense only to them. Celine Sciamma's Petite Maman visits one such place after an eight-year-old girl unexpectedly loses her grandmother. I was not surprised by the overlapping of the real and the surreal that occurred in this place but found parts of the trip to be too arty and artificial. Criterion's release offers an outstanding technical presentation of Petite Maman and includes the award-winning animated film My Life as a Zucchini, which is based on a screenplay by Sciamma. RECOMMENDED to the fans. (If the subject matter of Petite Maman appeals to you, consider viewing To Be and to Have).