Facing serious themes with an effectively light touch, and the estimable talents of its brilliant veteran stars, “Everything Went Fine,” opens at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center May 5.
Continuing is “The Worst Ones.”
In “Everything Went Fine,” André (André Dussollier) contacts his adult daughter, Emmanuèle, (Sophie Marceau) with a devastating final wish, and she is forced to reconcile her past with him. The powerful family drama is directed by François Ozon. André (André Dussollier) has never been the easiest of fathers. But when he suffers a debilitating stroke and calls on his daughter Emmanuèle (Sophie Marceau) to help him die with some dignity, she finds herself faced with a painful decision. When Emmanuèle’s husband asks why André would make such a request from his daughter, her response is clear: “That’s why, because I’m his daughter.”
An adaptation of acclaimed French screenwriter and novelist Emmanuèle Bernheim’s memoir, “Everything Went Fine” is a detailed portrait of family relationships, and a frank account of the process involved in assisted dying. Steering clear of moral arguments such issues raise, “Everything Went Fine” focuses instead on Emmanuèle’s complex relationship with her unrelentingly stubborn yet utterly charming father, and how she comes to terms with his decision. Acknowledging the emotional toil such a process involves, the film’s matter-of-factness elicits moments of humor that not only emphasize the characters’ humanity but make a weighty topic accessible. Featuring stunning performances by Marceau and Dussollier, as well as a scene-stealing cameo by Charlotte Rampling as André’s ex-wife, “Everything Went Fine” tackles a complex subject with intelligence and sensitivity.
“Everything Went Fine” is showing through May 18.
Set in the suburbs of Boulogne-Sur-Mer in northern France, “The Worst Ones” captures a film within a film as it follows the production of a feature whose director turns to a local housing project for casting. Eager to capture performances of gritty authenticity, the director selects four working class teenagers to act in the film to the surprise and consternation of the local community.
As the director and crew audition, rehearse, film and interact with their hand-picked cast, jealousies are stoked, lines are crossed, and ethical questions arise. Winner of the top prize in the Un Certain Regard section of the 2022 Cannes Film Festival, “The Worst Ones” debuts directors Lise Akoka and Romane Gueret.
“The Worst Ones” shows through May 11.
Learn more about the films, including show times and ticket availability.
