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English Titles B

Blame it on Fidel

Original title: Faute á Fidel, La
German title: Fidel ist Schuld
France, 2006

Director: Gavras, Julie
Production company: Les Films du Worso
Co-producers: Gaumont
Age recommendation: 8 years and up

Synopsis:
Paris 1970. The happy world of 9 year old Anna suddenly changes with the death of her Spanish uncle. The political activities of her aunt Marga, who was able to flee from Franco’s Spain, are carried over onto Anna’s parents. As a lawyer, her father gets involved in Chile and travels with increasing frequency in order to, amongst other things, support Allende in his election campaign. Equally, her mother engages herself with full élan in a book project which deals with the issues of abortion and the right of women to lead a self-determined life. A further sign of change is their moving to a significantly smaller rented apartment. Anna can accept all these gradual changes only with great difficulty. Searching for protection and explanations, she turns to the housekeeper Filomena, who detests Fidel Castro. The next shock for Anna runs deep, for Filomena is soon replaced by a new housemaid. Further women follow: all of them refugees from a great diversity of countries, not only imparting their cultures onto Anna and her younger brother François but just as often confronting them with ever novel eating habits. And on the rare occasions when both parents are at home together, the children must share them with numerous complete strangers – including curiously bearded revolutionaries. Anna finds it difficult to bring together the images of life found in her parent’s house with what she is taught in the Catholic girl’s school. But in her own way Anna is successful in following up on the changes in her world through hard-nosed questioning.

Comments:
Lucas-Jury, Frankfurt 2007:
Anna doesn't understand the world any longer: over night, the little girl from a good family is wrenched out of her usual surroundings and must now confront the radically altered political views of her parents, which she only step by step begins to learn to understand.
A film which breaks away from usual viewing habits by consistently focusing on the view of the child, thereby also making grown-up audiences experience a certain degree of uncertainty. Its special manner of story-telling, leaves definite strong impressions. A film which consternates and challenges, stimulating exchange in its wake.

Festivals:
Istanbul 2007, Rome 2007, Sundance 2007, Lucas Frankfurt 2007 (Special Metion), Olympia Pyrgos 2007 (awarded), Hannover 2008, Buster Copenhagen 2008

World sales address/es:
Gaumont (F)

Sold to:
Sony (FR)
Elysee (B)
ICA (UK)
Koch Lorber (USA)