À demain (1992)
Directed by Didier Martiny

Film Review

Didier Martiny first made his mark as a director with his award-winning short Il Biscione (1978).  This he followed with some impressive television documentaries, such as Naissance du Grand Louvre (1985), and his first feature, Jusqu'à la nuit (1983).  He then took a career detour, scripting a number of graphic novels, before returning to cinema to direct what is arguably his most accomplished film, À demain, an engaging comedy-drama which shows us life in a slightly dysfunctional middle class family in the 1960s, from the perspective of a little boy.

This gentle, understated film is so sincere and true-to-life that it is easy to overlook its occasional mawkish lapses and pretty conventional style of mise-en-scène.  It's a surprisingly low-key film for such an iconic screen actress as Jeanne Moreau (the star of such memorable films as Jules et Jim and La Baie des Anges) to lend her talents to, but she was apparently so bowled over by the script that she gladly consented to appear in it, playing an elderly matriarch in the last few weeks of her life.  It's good that Moreau did so because the film allowed her to give one the most enchanting performances in the post-Nouvelle Vague stage of her immense career.

Most memorable are the simple yet incredibly touching heart-to-heart scenes with Moreau and the little boy Pierre, from whose innocent perspective the story is told. The former's meticulous attempts to prepare the insouciant child for her impending demise are delicately scripted and performed with genuine poignancy, the impact being heightened by the direct, unsentimental manner in which the scenes are played.  À demain is unlikely to win many prizes for style or originality but it manages to be a heart-warming nostalgia piece that succeeds in taking us back to our childhood - almost as effectively as Albert Lamorisse's timeless classic Le Ballon rouge (1956).

Film Synopsis

Whenever he has occasion to look back on his childhood, Pierre does so with great affection.  His private sanctuary is his warm bedroom in a grand house in Paris, where he lives an idyllic childhood with his extended family - his sister, his parents, his grandparents, and his great-grandmother.  His father and grandfather each run a medical practice from the house, whilst his grandmother, Tété, provides acupuncture treatment.  Apart from a few domestic crises, Pierre's childhood is a happy one, filled with precious moments and treasured memories.  He has a special place in his heart for his dying grandmother.