LFF 2021: The Fam ‘La Mif’
LFFTRIGGER WARNING - THIS ARTICLE MENTIONS TOPICS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT
There is a palette on show in Fred Baillif's La Mif that acts as a poignant and profound undercurrent to the themes and arcs present – in that all those who are lost are eventually found, one way or another. This sentiment offers hope in the darkest and bleak circumstances that often surround the characters present in Baillif's feature.
Following a collective of young women in a youth home, Baillif's feature follows an episodic narrative with bursts in and out of one integral sequence that comes to define each and every resident, as well as their social workers. First and foremost, it should be noted that La Mif is in no way a casual or easy watch, discussing and showcasing harsh topics and themes as predatory behaviour, sexual assault, and instances of paedophilia. These are not easy themes, but nor should they be, as to see these elements presented showcases utmost precedent of how torturous and harrowing such circumstances are to the victims, and this feature gives those who are often silenced a voice. The tone is incredibly respectful and determined to highlight these young women. It is clear, loud, and profound with not the act itself displayed – thankfully – but instead the much-needed discussion and understanding of the victim taking its place.
Made even more compelling are the performances that ground and give extraordinary weight to proceedings. Each respective actress and performance has a uniqueness and individualism to which they find themselves in youth care. Some are slowly revealed in heartbreaking torture, others outright stated. What results is an endearing testament to the personalities and their respective defence mechanism, which in turn crafts depth and layers but an equally as important undertone to the burdens they carry and what has moulded them to be as they are.
Furthermore, Fred Baillif does not hide behind this feature in presenting such acts as aforementioned. These young women have been abused, neglected, and tortured, and the resulting weight are elements that are explored with harrowing underbellies. While, of course, within the limits of respect, the director explores such with the engrossing help of his performers within this clique and the residual first-hand effects that affect said group. This element ultimately thickens and glues the reality of proceedings but crafts an authentic and organic feeling that genuinely follows a thin line between fiction and non-fiction.
The aesthetic, for one, solidifies this motif with a documentarian, fly on the wall approach from the director of photography Joseph Areddy, who expertly blends what feels like reality and fiction into one medium. The results are ever so effective, and if it were not for casually catching the editing cuts from editor Baillif himself, a relatively large amount of viewers would seemingly not realise this was a narrative feature piece. This blend of aesthetics elevates and heightens the performers involved and brings a weighted and even more so honest depiction of the themes present.
Nevertheless, the one thing that is not quite clear as an effective tool is the structure. As mentioned above, this narrative is crafted in a somewhat non-cyclical and episodic nature, ultimately beginning with a sequence that trickles down and begins to affect the entire establishment and residency on the whole. By any means, this somewhat chaotic nature adds to the weight and undertones of the story: time and arcs dip in and out of reality, perceptions change and evolve and somewhat on occasion recontextualise events, such as specific individuals raising a more significant concern to others of which is later revealed have had a larger profound effect on their own lives. To that extent, it adds nuance and extensive depth. However, La Mif still feels overly chaotic and challenging to follow in terms of structure and place with an obsequious nature, obscuring the piece's transparency at times.
