Martha… Martha

Sandrine Veysset seems to be developing at high speed into a contemporary chronicler of unusual family relationships. After Y’auratil de la neige a Noël? and Victor… pendant qu’il est trop tard, the concentrated and starkly framed Martha… Martha is also about a child in a world of adults.With her sixyearold daughter Lise and her boyfriend Reymond, Martha forms a tight threesome. She is unpredictable, selfish and often irresponsible, but also charming and has a lust for life. The patience of her lover Reymond probably, but not certainly the father of Lise is put to the test by her extensive drinking binges and flirtation. Martha is plagued by an undefined childhood trauma and a visit to her parents reveals she does not come from the warmest of nests. After this visit, things start getting out of hand. Martha drags her family to Spain to pay an unannounced visit on her successful sister Marie. Old pain comes to the surface. Back in France, Martha is victim to a rape. The formerly carefree Lise is increasingly affected by the behaviour and final disappearance of her mother.Valérie Donzelli as Martha is frightening in her impulsiveness, Yann Goven evokes sympathy as the loyal Reymond, but the young Lucie Régnier as Lise must be the greatest surprise.