Presented in competition at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, Marcello me by Christophe Honoré is a fiction film that combines comedy and introspective reflection. The story focuses on Chiara Mastroianni, daughter of the legendary Marcello Mastroianni and Catherine Deneuve, who one morning, looking at herself in the mirror, sees not her own reflection, but that of her father. She then goes through an existential crisis by slipping into the skin of her deceased father. A actress in full turmoil, Chiara decides to spend a summer to live as Marcello Mastroianni, adopting her clothes, her language and her habits, to the point that her entourage ends up considering her as Marcello.
The film tackles the crisis of the fifties of Chiara, a period of deep questioning when it seeks to redefine its identity. Being the daughter of two cinema icons is not an easy task, and Chiara is struggling with the weight of this heritage. Christophe Honoré illustrates this dilemma through symbolic scenes, such as hearing where director Nicole Garcia, playing her own role, asks Chiara to be ” A little less Catherine and a little more Marcello“. This request reveals the contradictory and often unrealistic expectations placed on it.
In parallel, the film explores with finesse the challenges linked to being the “daughter of”. Chiara is constantly compared to her parents, complicating her quest for a clean identity. The central question remains: can she find her own path or is she condemned to live in the shadow of her famous parents?
During the press conference which followed the screening of the film, Catherine Deneuve insisted that her daughter Chiara was always very patient and knew how to respond kindly to the questions and remarks compared to her famous parents.
Marcello me is not only an introspective journey for Chiara, but also a tribute to Marcello Mastroianni, whose centenary is celebrated this year. The film uses this context to explore the theme of transmission between generations and the way in which children of celebrities can or must carry the inheritance of their parents. Honoré weaves a broader reflection on celebrity, the cultural heritage and the importance of reconnecting with the past to better understand the present.
The film pays a delicate tribute to Marcello Mastroianni. Chiara also dresses like her father in her role in Eight and a half by Federico Fellini. This film, presented in Cannes in 1963, told the story of a depressed director fleeing the world of cinema to take refuge in a universe populated by fantasies. The Cannes Film Festival also paid tribute to this film in 2014 by choosing it to appear on the poster of its 67th edition.
The work of Christophe Honoré manages to create an atmosphere where reality and fiction merge. The scenes where Chiara embodies Marcello are skillfully intertwined with elements of her own life, blurring the boundaries between real and imaginary. The director uses dreamlike sequences and cinematographic references to enrich the narrative, while paying tribute to the heritage of Marcello Mastroianni. However, this artistic approach can sometimes seem superficial, leaving the spectator in search of a deeper reflection.
Despite the wait aroused by this film, some criticisms, including myself, have expressed a disappointment, hoping for a more serious and more coherent approach. The pleasant comedy of the film lacks depth and consistency. Although the performances are remarkable, in particular that of Chiara Mastroianni, who in the film has become a real dad of her dad, the lightness of the tone prevents a further exploration of the themes addressed.
Marcello me is a film that does not leave indifferent. By exploring the themes of the existential crisis, the weight of inheritance and transmission, Christophe Honoré offers a work rich in emotions and reflections, but which unfortunately lacks depth. Chiara Mastroianni, by her sincere and intense performance, takes us on a fascinating introspective journey, paying tribute to her father while seeking to free himself from his shadow. A film to see and meditate, despite its shortcomings, by admirers and nostalgic for Marcello Mastroianni, like me!
Neïla Driss
