Paris Memories, 2023.
Directed by Alice Winocour.
Starring Virginie Efira, Benoît Magimel, Grégoire Colin, Amadou Mbow, and Maya Sansa.
SYNOPSIS:
A Parisian tries to make sense of her fractured memories in the aftermath of a terrorist attack. By retracting the steps that led up to the event, she begins to piece together what happened and how.
Offering a compelling journey through the dense world of traumatic memory in the aftermath of a terrifying attack, Alice Winocour’s Paris Memories is an impressive feature of hope and understanding. Part detective story and part compassionate examination of recovery, the film follows Mia (Virginie Efira) as she tries to rearrange her memories into a coherent whole.
Capturing the intensity of a shocking attack in Paris – partly inspired by Winocour’s own memories of 2015’s attack on the Bataclan theatre – Mia wakes up to the fact that she is isolated and struggling. Crucially, she has many holes in her memory of what really happened.
She travels around the city on her motorbike looking for anything that could spark a memory. She becomes drawn to other survivors and in an intense period of therapeutic discussion and human interaction, Mia gradually puts down the slabs for rebuilding her life. But how much of old existence will be part of her new one?
This question is central to the film. The story maturely offers hope, but does not ignore the harsh facts of what trauma can do to relationships and family. Survivor’s guilt and the difficulty of anyone not sharing in the nightmarish experience to fully regain a connection are examined in sophisticated fashion.
Much of the power of this rests on Efira’s excellent performance as Mia. She brings out all the pain and confusion associated with such a cataclysmic event and also the strength and curiosity needed to untangle the webs of disjointed recollections. The weight of the whole experience weighs heavily on the relationship with her partner (Grégoire Colin). At one point he even regrets not being in the attack as well, so as to know what she went through in order to understand more fully.
As it is, it is Benoît Magimel’s Thomas, a fellow survivor, who is better placed to provide some emotional support to Mia. His own partner also expressly says that their relationship will never be the same again.
The film looks at these realities with unwavering eye and never glosses over the hard fought battle of reclaiming memory and identity. Mia acts as a researcher by gathering up other survivor’s memories and feelings about the attack, setting them out and showing the variety of responses to the event.
Paris the city is also a star of the picture. Stéphane Fontaine’s elegant cinematography paints the city at day and night in a poetic half light of shimmering finery. The resilience of the place and its inhabitants is displayed effectively, and we are shown what Winocour describes as ‘the diamond at the heart of trauma’.
A powerful and poignant watch, Paris Memories offers an emotionally charged and rewarding view of personal and citywide healing.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★
Robert W Monk
