les liens (2004) [feature]
Director: Aymeric Mesa - Juan
This debut feature from Aymeric Mesa-Juan is the first in a proposed trilogy inspired by Greek tragedy. The story of Medea its departure point, [Les Liens] weaves calamity and misfortune into the everyday lives of a contemporary provincial family to reveal the complexity of relationships and the limits of choice.
[Les Liens] opens with a monstrous act of infanticide. It then backtracks three months to depict the tortuous and deceitful relationships that led to this shocking act. Mado (Anne O'Dolan) and Julien (Mesa-Juan) are the parents of a disabled son, Antoine (Axel Mousset). But Julien's heart is not with his betrothed, but rather with his boss's manipulative daughter, Christine. When Christine becomes pregnant, Julien travels further along the path from his family, and when his boss offers to pay for Antoine's urgently needed surgery - for a price - this sets the course of destiny for all.
"An ambitious contemporary drama about obsessive love, adultery and tortured human relationships, weighted with the portentous solemnity of Greek tragedy." - Variety---D/S/P Aymeric Mesa-Juan WS Clown Productions L French w/ English subtitles TD 35mm/col/2004/95mins
[Les Liens] (MIFF 05) is Aymeric Mesa-Juan's first feature film.