MA VIE aka MA VRAIE VIE a ROUEN aka
THE TRUE STORY OF MY LIFE IN ROUEN

Year: 2002
UK: Peccadillo Pictures
Cast: Ariane Ascaride, Jonathan Zaccaï, Helene Surgere, Jimmy Tavares, Lucas Bonnifait, Nicolas Pontois, Frederic Sendon, Marcelle Lamy, Frederic Voldman, Hanako Bron, Aliette Langolff-Colas, Camille Dumalanede, Magali Hervieu, Frederic Gorny
Directors: Olivier Ducastel; Jacques Martineau
Country: France
Language: French (English subtitles)
UK: 105 mins
UK Certificate: 15 contains strong language and moderate sex
UK Release Date: 18 July 2003

Synopsis

Olivier Ducastel and Jacques Martineau the fabulous French directors of DrOle de Felix have brought us another wonderful feature, MA VIE (MA VRAIE VIE a ROUEN).

Etienne (Jimmy Tavares) is a cute teenager at high school in his native Rouen living with his mother Caroline (Ariane Ascaride). On his 16 th birthday his grandmother presents him with a video camera, its purpose to help him record his figure skating sessions as he trains for the French Cup. Excited with his new toy he starts to record every detail of his daily life and the lives of those around him.

From secretly capturing his mum trying out her lingerie collection to the boasts of sexual conquest from his best friend Ludovic (Lucas Bonnifait), Etienne records the world as he sees it. A subtle fascination with Laurent (Jonathan Zaccaï), his geography teacher (who he believes would make a perfect partner for his mum) gets Etienne into trouble when he tries to film him during an exam. Even though he is proved to be right and a relationship between his mum and Laurent ensues, Etienne comes to realise that his own desire was more ambiguous than he thought.

It all adds up to a subtle, affecting and refreshing portrait of the torments of youth, revealing the realities of life for an adolescent. Does Etienne know what he means when he tells Ludovic that 2002 will be "the year of love" or will he be able to find the answer during a discussion asking "Can two men love each other?"