ELLE S’APPELLE
SABINE
HER NAME IS SABINE |
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DIRECTOR
Sandrine Bonnaire
WRITERS
Sandrine Bonnaire & Catherine Cabrol
Running time: 85’
Production: France, 2008
Rating: Not rated
Gauge: DVD (color)
GENRE
Documentary
DISTRIBUTOR
Film Movement
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“The rage of the director
can be felt in each frame and clearly shapes the pamphlet-like
narrative, though the film is still a compelling examination
of autism and the way the outside world tries -- and, more often,
fails -- to deal with it.”
Boyd van Hoeij, european-films.net |
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An intelligent, moving
and beautiful portrait of Sabine, a 38-year-old autistic woman,
filmed by her closest sister, French actress Sandrine Bonnaire.
The film tells her story through personal footage filmed by
the actress over a period of 25 years, and her life today. A
terrible gap exists between her as a teenager, an endearing
and artistic young woman, and her today. What happened? After
the departure of her brother and sisters, Sabine felt isolated
and she became extremely panicky and violent. Her mother, who
was taking care of her, was not able to cope with Sabine's outbursts
and sent her to a psychiatric hospital. A tragic five-year stay
there crushed her intellectual growth and many talents. Today,
because of her sister's fame, Sabine has the privilege of living
in better conditions, even if her mental capacities remain altered.
She lives in a home in the Charente region with other young
people who have similar mental and emotional illnesses. This
very intimate film exposes an inadequate care structure, the
penury of specialized institutions and the dramatic consequences
they can lead to. It sends an urgent message to a society that
still does not know how to properly take care of its citizens
with physical and psychological disabilities.
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| PHOTO Film
Movement |
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