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4 min readNew DelhiJun 16, 2023 12:37 PM IST
At the heart of One Fine Morning is Sandra (Lea Seydoux), a widowed young mother who is raising her eight-year-old daughter Linn on her own. She is also taking care of her father Georg (Pascal Greggory) who is suffering from neurodegenerative disease that has led to a loss of vision. As she struggles to come to terms with the loss of the relationship she once had with her father, it’s the fate of his personal library that seems to bother her.
In a conversation with her daughter, Sandra articulates her attachment to these books. While her father, once a much respected professor of philosophy is now a shadow of his former self, she believes his books tell more about the kind of person he used to be. The family decides to move him to a care facility when Georg’s condition worsens. Sandra tries to find a home for his books, since they have to sell the house to meet the expenses.
Though it is not a prominent track in the film, this reveals a lot about the film that’s about intimate and deep human feelings. A poignant portrait of a family living in Paris, One Fine Morning, which premiered in the Directors’ Fortnight section of the Cannes Film Festival last year, is partly based on the life of Mia Hansen-Løve, who has written and directed it. Treated with tenderness by the filmmaker, this is a nuanced account of a woman, who is a mother, daughter and professional, trying to juggle her many responsibilities.
The film is also about loneliness. Sandra, who has been single for nearly five years after her husband’s demise, thinks that she is past that stage when she can find love again. This, of course, before she falls in love with Clément (Melvil Poupaud), an old friend who is married. Even though she is going through a trying period and is involved in a passionate affair, Léa Seydoux’s portrayal of Sandra — hailed as one of her best performances — remains understated and introspective.
The way each scene is presented with an endearing mellowness, it is evident that Hansen-Løve doesn’t want to make a big deal out of Sandra’s everyday struggle. Instead, she creates a layered character for the protagonist who is battling loneliness and loss. But loneliness is not what Sandra is dealing with alone. Georg keeps wondering about his companion Leila. When Clément distances himself from them, Linn imagines that she has developed a serious health condition.
Without making any grand gestures, the film keeps the story of a single woman dealing with grief, family crisis, loss and unpredictability of love straightforward and gentle just like the soft glow that lights up most of the scenes. Without much ado, the film moves towards an ending that seems to restore balance in Sandra’s life, at least for a while.
One Fine Morning director: Mia Hansen-Løve
One Fine Morning cast: Léa Seydoux, Pascal Greggory, Melvil Poupaud, Nicole Garcoa, Camille Leban Martins
One Fine Morning rating: 4 stars
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