Is the cinema screen the mirror of the soul of filmmakers or spectators? Probably a bit of both. As part of the summer series In Therapy: Quebec Cinema, ” Le Devoir” gives eight psychologists the opportunity to take part in a therapeutic session, with a local film of their choice for the patient. This week, The Goddess of Fireflies (2020), portrait of a tumultuous — and sometimes vaporous — adolescence in Chicoutimi in the 1990s, inspired by the novel by Geneviève Pettersen and put into images by Anaïs Barbeau-Lavalette.
What do parents know about what their teenagers do when they escape their vigilance? Very little, readers of The goddessfire flies (Le Quartanier, 2014), by Geneviève Pettersen, a novel steeped in the author’s experiences, memories and wounds. Hence the scent of authenticity that emanates from this portrait of an era, a generation, and a sometimes pitiless age. Ah, adolescence, an interminable period that we don’t wish on anyone!
This youthful slice was a resounding success in bookshops. And before experiencing a new lease of life on the big screen, the tribulations of Catherine, both prisoner of parents united by hatred and most often left to her own devices, took to the stage in 2018, with embodied protagonists by interpreters of the age of the characters. For her part, director Anaïs Barbeau-Lavalette has decided to revisit this universe, finding in it several resonances with her own approach. Because since the beginning of his career, his interest in the left behind and the marginalized has never wavered, both in literature (I would like to be erasedHurtubise), in fiction (The ring, Insha’Allah) than in documentary (The little giants, The floor of the cowsco-directed by Émile Proulx-Cloutier).
Drug addiction, dysfunctional families, identity problems, first loves and first betrayals weave the fabric of this trajectory rich in emotions and dreamlike visions, dominated by the strong presence of Kelly Depeault in the role of Catherine. To find us there, The duty appealed to the DD Geneviève Beaulieu-Pelletier, psychologist, lecturer, and associate professor at UQAM.
How did you feel when watching The Goddess of Fireflies?
I did not see it when it came out, even if the presence of Geneviève Pettersen at Everybody talks about it challenged me; after receiving your invitation, it was the perfect opportunity!
The film captivated me while creating a feeling of heaviness, because it is a particularly intense adolescent experience. We are caught up in the life of Catherine and all the other characters as if we were in their skin. A host of issues are jostling: the pain of living; difficulty relating to others; the need to find oneself in a group with which one shares the same values; the problems of the parents — so great that they cause children like Catherine to live in deep loneliness and build another family. She is caught between a very permissive father (Normand D’Amour) and a more controlling mother (Caroline Néron), is in a way sacrificed because of the many problems her parents are going through.
Many spectators who lived their adolescence in the 1990s appreciated the musical references (from Kurt Cobain to the group Les BB) and clothing (choker necklaces and Dr. Martens!), but perhaps also the nostalgia of an era devoid of social networks and smart phones.
We see a kind of freedom there, even greater because young people can take refuge in the forest, far from the eyes of their parents. They kind of form a tribe, and we know how important that is at this age.
This freedom in nature is possible because they live in Chicoutimi, and not on the Plateau Mont-Royal, but it is also because of the minimal involvement—not to say non-existent—of the parents, who ignore the self-destructive behavior of their children. One of the great strengths of the film is to highlight this period when changes among adolescents are so difficult, a period marked by shame: that of being intimidated, of being different or of being troubled by changes in his body.
There is still a great sense of humiliation attached to the moments of exploring drugs and sexuality. Thanks to the film, we make this universe accessible; it gives this suffering a universal character.
Without revealing certain highlights of the story, it is necessary to underline the question of suicide. Don’t you find this element somewhat evasive, not to say rushed?
I didn’t feel like I had all the psychological elements to understand this gesture. This character places himself on the sidelines, not necessarily recognized for what he is… but from there to lead him to suicide? The viewer should get some additional signs to better decode the discomfort and suffering behind this impulsive act.
In contrast, the scenes describing drug use are very long. Besides, I would not have shortened them! Some spectators can drop out, but I like this feeling of emptiness, this feeling of sharing the experience with them; some parents will surely be more aware!
Does cinema have a place in your practice, and would The Goddess of Fireflies be useful to your patients?
I never recommend movies to them, but they do! Recently, an adult patient told me a lot aboutEncanto [de Byron Howard et Jared Bush] : It’s a children’s film, but fascinating in terms of family dynamics. However, The Goddess of Firefliesprobably not, except perhaps for a parent who has great questions about their teenage child.
Films, I use them mainly in my teaching practice, and this one would easily find its place. Catherine’s birthday with her parents is an exceptional sequence, which shows how emotionally they are not there for their child. With her gift, the mother wants to receive her daughter’s love, when the relationship should be reversed. For a parent, big hugs and “I love you” are fine, but if that is the only thing sought, it will be at the expense of the child’s development.
That said, as a parent, we inevitably make mistakes. You have to take the time to recognize them, to see their effects, and possibly to discuss them with the child, which can be restorative. With the parents in the film, I would develop a certain benevolence towards themselves, and the importance of admitting their injuries to limit the impact on their daughter. And it has to be said: we can blame dysfunctional parents, but collectively, what are we doing to support them?
The Goddess of Firefliesby Anaïs Barbeau-Lavalette, is available on Crave and Cineplex Store.