Un week-end sur deux (1990)
Directed by Nicole Garcia

Film Review

Actress Nicole Garcia made her noteworthy directorial debut with this introspective drama about a young woman's futile attempt to form a bond with her estranged children.  An extraordinarily realistic performance from Nathalie Baye, coupled with Garcia's intimate and moody cinematic style, makes this a haunting and provocative work.  With skilful subtlety and the minimum of melodrama, the implications of a small personal tragedy - an egotistical woman's failure to win her children's love - are brought home with great effect.  Although less stylish and polished than Garcia's subsequent work, this film's simple honesty and feminine insight gives it greater impact.

Film Synopsis

Camille Valmont is a committed actress who has sacrificed everything, including her family, for her career.  This is why she ended up being divorced by her husband Adrien and why she is only allowed to see her two young children - Gaëlle and Vincent - every other weekend.  One such weekend coincides with her being obliged by her employers to attend a charity gala event in Vichy.  Unwilling to wait another fortnight before she can see her children, Camille makes the rash decision of taking them with her.  Naturally, Adrien is outraged when he hears of this from the event's organisers and threatens to take the children off his ex-wife's hands. 

Thrown into a sudden panic, Camille decides to run off with her children.  In a hired car, she heads for Spain, ostensibly to satisfy Vincent's burning desire to witness a meteorite display that has been forecast.  After a fraught car journey across France, Camille finally manages to get across the border with Spain, but by this stage the adventure has lost its appeal.  Realising the trouble they are in, Vincent slips away and telephones his father.  Adrien duly comes to collect his children, and Camille is left by herself to contemplate her future alone...