Ponette (1996)

In other words,this film is a surreal ride.

Blending excellent reporting and strong storytelling, this is a disturbing film truly stranger than fiction

The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.

This is a dark and sometimes deeply uncomfortable drama

I have wanted to see this movie for a very long time. At the time it was released, my own Mother had suddenly died and I knew that it would have been too intense for me to watch. Now, it is almost 11 years later and I have finally watched it and this is quite simply one of the most true to life portrayals of grief and the journey it becomes for really anyone. I was Ponettes age when my father died and I can completely relate to her reactions, her agony and the confusion she portrayed. I can remember asking constantly when Daddy was coming back and not really accepting the answers that people were telling me. I also recall praying and talking to my father when I was alone in my room, begging him to come back and see me when no one else was around. I even had a dream about my father that was amazingly close to Ponettes interaction with her mother. This rang so true for me that I couldn't believe the writer of this story connected things in such a realistic way. Victoire Thivisol is shockingly real in this role. I cannot believe she was only 4 years old when this was filmed! It's a fascinating study of a shields emotional response to such a tragic event and quite honestly, I am at a total loss of words as to how to describe the power of this movie. I can only tell you that if you are looking for something intense and engrossing, this would be your movie. I really appreciated the feeling it left me with at the end too.....that life is not always easy and predictable but that humans are remarkably resilient beings who can actually grow in wonderful ways from the events that challenge us the most.

It is absolutely amazing to see the star of Ponette as she acts. This child appears to be about four years-old and gives an incredible performance. The only problem is, that the script itself is a bit flat and my wife and I kept wondering "where is the father--why did he abandon this little girl?!" This and many other unanswered questions bothered me throughout the film. In addition, although the subject matter is novel (a very young child searching to understand her mother's death), it just stopped being interesting after a while. Then, when the movie did change tone at the very end, it became pretty weird, though not entirely unsatisfying. Overall, the acting is fine but it just didn't arouse my interest.

You have to accept the ending on the child's terms. The entire film is spent at the child's level, so when the ending comes you have to believe in children's logic. Ponette doesn't see her mother coming back to life briefly as illogical, so neither should we. When you return to an adult's perspective, it is obviously a dream or a hallucination. It is quite natural for those who have lost a loved one to imagine that loved one returning in a dream state and telling you to move on, so I think it is quite realistic. I wish though that this was made more obvious; the ambiguity is a flaw. Perhaps it is for the children's audience; the ending is trying to work to both adults and children.That little girl truly is amazing. She makes me want to see Chocolat again because she has a big role in that. Definitely a talent for the future!

First of all i want to say that english ain't my natural language, so forgive any mistake of my poor english writing. Ponette is an amazing movie, because is simple and clear and also because is about something we are not used to watch: children beliefs. Thats what the movie is all about, how kids behave at certain circumstances, in this case the death of Ponette, the main caracter. we go through an hour and a half watching this small kid talking about Jesus and Gods meaning as she try to understand why grown ups say that her mother wont return.When i first watch it, it was playing on television, and i got it rolling. I was about to change the channel when that little girl started to cry. I couldnt believe, but i was almost crying too, even without knowing why the kid was crying. At this point i understood that the girl sympathy was so big that this movie dont go through anyones life without living a mark.After all we were all kids one day.