Storyline

Violetta is raised by her grandmother. Her mother Hanna tries to make a living on taking photographs and concentrates on her dreams to become a famous artist. In order to succeed as an artist she doesn't worry about dating men of questionable reputation. Only every now and then her mother visits her daughter but during these occasions it occurs to her that her daughter could be a potential model. She starts exploiting her daughter who by transforming into a kind of Lolita becomes increasingly alienated from other children of her age. At school she is eventually frequently insulted and rejected. Then Mamie dies and Hannah's photographs are about to unequivocally overstep the line of acceptability. Hanna even coerces Violetta mercilessly into cooperation by withholding her food in case she doesn't agree to pose for increasingly daring photographs.

Plot Keywords

title directed by female, mother daughter relationship, mother daughter conflict, death, classroom, dress, female nudity, female full frontal nudity, suicide threat, title in title, f rated, model, school

Short Review

A relevant, but ultimately failed film. Eva Ionesco has made a film loosely base on her own childhood in which her mother photographed her in dramatically controversial ways. Most likely, because this "art" was done in the mix of the cultural confusion of the 1970's -- Ionesco's mother's work was accepted as "art" and challenges of "child porn" were never culturally addressed. While similar art was created in the US with Brooke Shields --- that work carried an uncomfortable innocence despite courting controversy. Ionesco's work was anything but innocent and remains to many (including myself) perverse and repugnant child exploitations. And, here lies the challenge for the adult Eva Ionesco: to make a film about the exploitation of a child without actually exploiting the child actor playing her. It is a conundrum beyond Eva Ionesco's reach either because she lacks to skill or she is too emotionally vested to figure out how to do it. Isabelle Huppert does her best and manages to avoid falling into the trap of "camp" due to some of ways in which her dialog is scripted. Anamaria Vartolomei as this version of the filmmaker proves a gifted child actor. Another plus is Jeanne Lapoirie's cinematography which is lush and captures the era of the time. However, in the end, this is a very interesting cinematic error. For those interested in the subject matter from the perspective of the controversial 1970's photographic work's subject or fans of Huppert, it is well worth seeing. It is too bad that Ionesco could not find a way to make what could have been a strong cultural commentary regarding child exploitation rise above the restraint result that is created.

Trailer

Streaming Service

1. Amazon Video : Rent from $1.99, Or $0.00 with a Prime membership