A remarkably humanistic writer/director whose introspective features often dwell on youthful malaise, French filmmaker Jacques Doillon has an uncanny knack for exploring human nature and the impact of people’s actions on those most dear to them. Perhaps it was his penchant for directing documentary shorts early on that gave Doillon his insight, but by the time he moved into feature territory in the early ‘70s he had suitably mastered the ability to tell a solid and affecting story. In 1979, Doillon was nominated for two César awards for his compelling psychological drama The Hussy, and his 1984 film La Pirate was a Golden Palm nominee at the Cannes Film Festival. By the 1990s, Doillon’s career had gained effective momentum. His 1990 film Le Petit Criminel, which told the involving tale of a troubled adolescent, was nominated for multiple César awards. After his success with film Le Jeune Werther in 1993, the director scored his biggest international hit to date with the 1996 drama Ponette… read more
Loved the movie. Shows how insensitive and cruel children can be to one another. Could feel the heartbreak of a beautiful young child over the loss of her mother. A moving scene was when she wandered out into the pasture at night begging God to return her mother.
it is a movie not only about spirituality and dealing with the loss, but also about getting lost in the everyday world of false theories and opinions, which might become dangerous especially at the age of ponette, the ending is a bit out of place, but victoire thivisol is worth all the credit she got for the role, simply incredible
Who wants to watch a four-year old act for 97 minutes? And yes, I looked it up - she was actually four-years old ! Unlike the young actors in “Treeless Mountain”, Victoire Thivisol had many lines to speak. Victoire Thivisol was the youngest ever to win Best Actress honors at the Venice Film Festival and that Best Actress award was well deserved.
Ce qui touche et émeut dans le film de Jacques Doillon n’est pas le drame et le deuil qui s’ensuit, c’est sa sensibilité de cinéaste qui n’hésite jamais à prendre le temps des émotions, à filmer Ponette… read review
When “Ponette” was released in the U.S. in 1996, it was with little fanfare and limited release. Even today French films do not receive wide distribution unless they star Audrey Tautou. Ponette is… read review