This is the kind of stories that saves us the beginning and the end, peels the whole package and gives us the ambrosia. This only happens in a few weeks, enough time for the principal characters to know each other and recognize in each other: Claire is a teenager that thinks she can overpass her pregnancy without help until she mets Madame Mélikian, grieving for the recent death of his son. To the recipe comes Guillaume, the young man who blames himself for that death. These marked characters, with inner scars, would try to heal each other out of pain. The plot may not sound much special but the way to tell it is exceptional. Told at a slow pace, in a minimalistic narration of the ordinary things that happens every day, "Brodeuses" elaborates a beautiful movie with the colors on the scene and the tones in the meanings. Sentimental in a good way it really invites you to feel what the characters are passing through. Lola Naymark transmits her feeling through her eyes in the middle of silence. Ariane Ascaride gives a sober and superb acting. The cinematography is quite just, revealing and offering the whole Rhone Alpes to us. And finally, the score that tonifies the actions is enough reflexive to accompany the actions. Art cinema, author's cinema, this is a small big gem in a french cinema that was beginning to take a detour to commercial films. If you love the minimalistic storytelling, with parsimonia and gusto, you will enjoy this one. Others beware.
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Mariana Cornejo14 December 2004
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Felix-288 May 2006I agree with the comments that have been posted (except for the one that called the film boring), and I am a little surprised by the user rating of only 6.9. I would have thought that just about anyone who bothered to see this film at all would like it a lot.
It's very easy to enjoy. In the end, it's upbeat; everything turns out all right. Even at the beginning, when the girl discovers she's pregnant and has no idea what to do, it doesn't seem to be headed for disaster; and sure enough she finds a friend, finds a job, finds a home, and makes things up with her mother.
The film is the story of a girl who is forced to grow up very suddenly, much more quickly than she otherwise would have. She finds herself in a situation that many would find impossible, begins by refusing to recognize it, then does recognize it and, in the end, decides how to deal with it. I think that what makes the film so satisfying is that she doesn't just cease to be a girl and become a woman, she becomes a woman to respect.
Having a happy ending always helps a film, but it's not the happy ending that makes this film a delight. The acting is superb. The woman whose son is dead is excellent: without extravagant displays of grief and anger she conveys the despair that she feels. The pregnant girl is outstanding. She conveys exactly the mixture of truculence, stubbornness and in the end good sense that define the character, again without resort to any extravagant display. The whole film is made with quiet, understated assurance, moving very confidently and never taking a false step (well, maybe one: the impromptu bang with the dead son's friend seemed a little out of place).
The scene that stays in my memory is one where the girl's mother comes to visit her. The mother does not officially know that her daughter is pregnant, although she must have had a strong suspicion. When her mother arrives, the girl keeps turning away, not looking at her, concealing her pregnant body as much as her can. Then, in the kitchen, the girl turns to her mother and stands up straight, showing her belly. The mother simply looks at her and smiles. It's a nice moment.
All in all, one that I'll look out for on the box. -
hamag20 August 2005Here in Argentina this film goes by the title "La trama de la vida" (The weft of life), the french title could be translated in English as "The (women) embroiderers" (nouns in French have gender) Lovely film. Nice music composed by Michael Galasso (sounds like Arvo Pärt). Claire debates herself between giving her child in adoption or keeping it. The film builds up, step by step. Claire works in a supermarket but that's not what she wants to do in life, she wants to be an embroiderer. Being pregnant, being a teenager, living in a provincial town she must "take up arms against a sea of troubles". A brave and loving girl with determination. In this quest she also finds love.
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writers_reign31 December 2004This is the kind of film that gives 'Art House' a good name. Given the title and style it compares favorably with La Dentelliere and that is praise indeed. The story is simplicity itself; a young supermarket worker, Claire Moutiers (Lola Naymark) with a passion for embroidery and a life that is going nowhere becomes pregnant almost in passing. Having no real attachment to the father she has to decide how to deal with the situation. Her first move is to approach a local embroiderer, Madame Melikian (Ariane Ascaride) for a job. M. Melikian has her own problems; her son has recently died in a road accident and by chance, his friend Guillaume (Thomas Laroppe) who survived the tragedy albeit at the expense of a badly scarred face, is the brother of Claire's friend Lucile. Soon after starting her new job Claire finds M Melikian comatose in the wake of a suicide attempt and alerts the authorities. From then on the film becomes a story of friendship, trust, healing and love. I doubt if there is a speech longer than two sentences from beginning to end, instead there are stunningly simple visuals like Clair cutting cabbages (in French 'cabbage' is an endearment as in ma petite chou) or Madame Melikian's hand touching that of Guillaume when Claire brings them face to face. The film builds its effects the way the two leads assemble a tapestry, slowly, painstakingly, one stitch at a time. In a film where every performance is way above average the two leads stand out like twin beacons, one (Naymark) remarkable and one (Ascaride) magnificent. One of the finest films of the last few years.
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Although few things happen, there are so many things to observe. This movie takes its time with much love for details. It's very slow and quite calm, like the life in the french province. This film doesn't try to criticize social issues. It doesn't take a clear position but let the spectator find his own view. It shows a very individual side. Claire is so stubborn and proud, but beneath her layers of woolen cardigans, you can catch a glimpse of her sensitive and fearful interior. The sensibility in which the relationship between Claire and Mme Melikian is shown, is touching. Although the story of the young, pregnant girl without a future has been told several times, this one makes an exception and doesn't need the usual clichés As spectator you get the feeling to see very private moments, like a voyeur. A movie like this lets you forget that cinema is a mass media. In its stillness and sensibility it resembles a lot "The Girl with the Pearl Earring". Those who know the French film "M Ibrahim et les fleurs du Coran" may remember the little red haired neighbor girl. Well, it has grown up and you can see her as the pregnant Claire. A remarkable little jewel of film. Hopefully some people will discover its beauty.
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Galina_movie_fan10 December 2006"Brodeuses" (2004) aka "A Common Thread"- a first feature by Éléonore Faucher is a simple, moving and beautiful film about two unhappy and lonely women, a pregnant unmarried teenager Claire and Madame Mélikian (Ascaride), an older woman grieving over the death of her only son in a motorcycle accident. Claire becomes an assistant for Madam Melikian, an embroiderer for haute couture Parisian designers. Slowly, both women come to need and value each other; they form a close bond through their mutual love for embroidery. Their true friendship will be one of the reasons for Claire to make a very important decision about her future baby. Visually, the film is a work of an exceptional beauty. Almost unknown, it is as exquisite as "Girl with a Pearl Earring" - Lola Naymark (Claire) could've been easily a Vermeer's model with her face of rare charm that shines in every frame and her impossibly beautiful long red hair. Both Naymard and Ariane Ascaride (Madam Melikian) gave outstanding performances in the movie with no bad performances at all.
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mmunier26 May 2011I watched "embrodeuse" yesterday and today again with my wife as I recorded the TV broadcast. It was not like watching a movie, it was like being part of an event. And that event had drama, beauty, emotions all wrapped up in a slow paced almost real time short journey. A little like being in a sailing boat on a breezy but serene day and at nature's mercy and whim . There was no pretension, no excess (pas d'etat d'ame) Just characters going about their torments and eventually helping each other's. Yes it was slow, I understand in our busy generation it's not always appreciable to take time, there is so much to do! But those who can live with a slower pace will be rewarded. It is a simple and wonderful story unfolding in a postcard rural setting but once I have known such a place so I know it's real. Thank you to the person who reminded us that this is the grown up actress from "Monsieur Ibrahim..." I only watched a week ago but did not associate with as I was transported in another era. Some have mentioned "The Girl with a pearl earing" I have seen too but will need to access my memory bank for refresher...My dysfunctional brain does not have much regards for producers, unknown actors and other important people who make such work so enjoyable either. I won't apologise for it but non the less I appreciated it very much but in my own way, so did my wife and I hope you do too.
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eldino3314 October 2009Every so often a film comes along which qualitatively surpasses the overwhelming number of movies available. BRODEUSES is one which requires a super classification. It contains elements which I deem essential for films of merit: superior writing, exemplary direction, abundant understatement, good use of color, effective use of facial expressions and eye movement, and suspense in the form of an omnipresent question. The writing is to the point, and mindless chatter which one finds in so many film productions is non-existent in this one. What needs to be said, is said, no more or no less. Economy of dialogue is a virtue. The camera angles resulting from the direction draw the viewer into the scenes. I find myself wanting to keep Claire from falling of her scooter, or from sliding off the side of the mountain when harvesting cabbages. The understatement insures that there are no screaming parents, pouting children, or meddling yentas. Claire's plight becomes more obvious as the months past, yet no one judges or indictes. All seem to understand and to accept, and, except for and occasional facial expression or eye movement, no one reacts. However, it in the use of color that his film excels. Claire's red hair and her green coat are obviously complementary, and the embriodery is spectacular. The are dozens of other examples. And the unanswered question? There is more that one question left unresolved, and that is as it should be. This film is going on my "view often" list, if for no other reason than to reinforce my need for good art.
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orinocowomble12 August 2013I first caught this film on French satellite TV about 20 min in. It drew me into its world in a few moments. I watched about half an hour more, and then was called away. Knowing that the particular channel that aired it repeats the same film in different timeslots over a month, I asked my other half to record it for me if they showed it again. "Is it good?" My response was more important than I realised at the time: "I don't know. I need to see it again." Since then I have learned that for me at least, that is the mark of a good film. A film that makes me think, that bears seeing again and again.
Claire,checkout girl at a hypermarket, discovers she is pregnant by a one-night stand (the butcher in the store). Like many young girls her age the world over, she does nothing, perhaps hoping the problem will "go away" or resolve itself, until it's too late to do much more than have the baby. She rejects the man's offer of help or money. "I'm not angry with you," she says, "just go away. I don't want to see you again."
She lives alone in a room in her small rural town; her parents live nearby, but in this film nobody seems to get along with their relations- -not Claire's family, not her wealthier best friend with her own brother (whose parents employ Claire's). Claire fears that her bid for independence will come crashing down, so she tries to follow her heart by seeking a job with Madame Melikian, a professional embroiderer whose son has just died in a crash. Madame M. is locked into her private grief and pain, but seeing Claire's need,takes her under her wing. The film deals with their friendship that blossoms as Claire's mind expands along with her womb. Claire in turn has the chance to bring Madame M. back among the living, helping her to heal the breach with her friend's brother who was also hurt in the crash. The two women end up working together to finish an important project that will weave their lives together inextricably.
The film doesn't resolve every issue, because life isn't like that. The moment you get a handle on one problem, another pops up--if not for you, then for someone you care about. It is beautifully filmed and we feel that however these people's lives play out, the results will be positive. I remember seeing a very young Lola Naymark as Kicup in "Les Nouvelles Tribus". That flaming red hair really is natural...and she is a natural actress who plays the truculent, lonely, frightened adolescent hiding her fear behind a facade of sullenness and "dumb insolence" to perfection. Her opposite, Ariane Ascaride, gives a wonderful performance as an adult who is just as frightened, and just as determined not to let her fears, loneliness and pain show.
The only weak point in this film is the soundtrack. The scratchy violin is just noise, adding nothing but an irritating distraction to the "creativity" scenes. And I hope that the only reason they included the horrendous rock song that accompanies Claire on her scooter is that they didn't have to pay royalties on it. If they did, it was money wasted. -
marfar21-116 February 2007Yesterday night I've see this film and I would do all the best for the director, because I found a film very deep and intense. For the first time after a lot of time I found a film with a history full of love for life and and for a sense of live.
These actors are wonderful and the female protagonist is very very professional.
But, above all I found that the director Éléonore Faucher have done a very good history full of intensity and emotional sentiment.
Life and death in 85 minutes..
Bravo Éléonore
Marco -
surjorimba_suroto13 December 2004Claire is a young girl who got pregnant. She didn't want to abort the baby and didn't want her boyfriend to pay his responsibility. Instead, she quit her current job at a local supermarket and went to work for Mrs. Melikian, as her embroidery assistant. Mrs. Melikian just lost his only son from a motorcycle accident.
Claire showed her willingness in taking her duties, as well as taking over Mrs. Melikian's private order when she was treated in the hospital (Mrs. Melikian tried to suicide, feeling lost without his son).
I found this movie was a bit boring, as not many conflict arisen during the almost 1.5 hour running time. The Claire character wasn't convincing as a pregnant young woman, whose trying to prove that she'll carry the burden alone. However, the character Mrs. Melikian was superb. -
planktonrules1 September 2007The film is about a very young single woman who is pregnant and leaves her job at the grocery store. It's really uncertain whether she went on sick leave because at 5-1/2 months pregnant she was too tired to work or she was doing this as a scheme to dodge work--especially when she then gets another job and works "under the table" (i.e., without reporting it to the government). In this new job working in an older woman's house, she shows her brilliance with doing complicated needlework for fashion designers. However, when the older woman (who is battling cancer) tries to kill herself, their relationship takes an interesting twist.
It's very rare for me to watch a film and be so completely indifferent to it. While I was never totally bored, there never really was much of anything to capture my attention as well. In addition, the nice relationships that developed in the film (particularly the one with the man) seemed very rushed and difficult to believe--like they really needed to be hashed out more. Myabe, too, the actors played their parts so non-emotionally that it was hard to really connect with them. Regardless, it's an inoffensive time-passer but no more. -
stephanlinsenhoff5 August 2012The red haired neighbor girl from Monsieur Ibrahim: 8/10 has grown up, living in the village Angoulème. Seventeen, as the actress Lola Neymark. Pregnant, a mother to be. She takes medical leave from the part time supermarket, claiming cancer for her supermarket colleagues. Claire lives, apart from her family, in a small studio apartment indulging her passion - designing intricate embroideries. She harvests secretly cabbage from the field of her parents' farm, exchanging for rabbit skins, needed for her embroideries. She hears that her friend Lucine's brother Guillaume had with his friend Ichkan Mélikian a motorcycle accident. For Ichkan help came too late, Guillaume blaming himself for that death. And Claire starts as assistant for the bereaved mother, an embroiderer, Madame Mélikian, Armenian. A bereaved, mourning mother and a teenager mother to be with the vague thought for adoption. Visiting the gynecologist Claire looks into the camera while the gynecologist tells her what is seen on the screen. She receives a sealed envelop with the gender answer: lost, found and hidden. The sequence with Claire's mother and her daughter, Claire giving her a visual chance to discover her pregnancy gives the impression that the mother doesn't see – while Madame Mélikian saw it. The centerpiece are the former and future mother and their passion and profession embroidery. And death, the mourning mothers attempted suicide, starting the process of their growing togetherness. Recognising the other, seeing each other twice – with respect. A film by a woman, with women for women about two women, confronted by unwanted death and unwanted birth. At a meal with the Lescuyer Madame Mélikian says: "We work well together. Now we can do whatever we want. We are strong." Brievly we see Claires father, Lucil's father; where the Armenian husband? The butcher from the local supermarket, the child to be father: "It wasn't me?" Claire's clear response: their relationship is of no importance for her, finished. Not alone can the bereaved woman and the pregnant teenager look at their situation. The obsession and profession is the stand-in- father The passion and profession for embroidery: not only an income for rent and food. Also a room for temporary peace and comfort for the stand-in-mother of the past and the stand-in-daughter as to-be-mother. Images, looks, glances, unspoken intentions. Silence. The silent emptiness: the future mother and the former mother, bond over their invisible children, silently working, creating beauty. Right up to the fragile end: a girl. It is the turn towards life after the attempted suicide and the decision for the adoption the conviction that life is worthwhile. A girl. If it was a boy – should have been adopted? A girl can be pregnant. For this the woman is needed, "une fille" – a girl.