Hélène, brilliantly portrayed by European arthouse star Vicky Krieps, lives a busy life in urban France.
Her supportive, gentle husband Matthieu is one of the last roles played by Gaspard Ulliel. Hélène is diagnosed with a fatal lung condition with a name that is difficult to pronounce. In every conversation Matthieu tries to persuade her to be positive. She is due to have an experimental lung transplant. Their circle of friends collapses because there is no way of talking about being somewhere between life and death while avoiding a funereal or an encouraging tone. The only relief Hélène can find is via a Norwegian blogger who discusses his own experience of living with a terminal illness. Hélène travels to Norway to regain control over her life and save herself from loneliness.
The theme of voluntary death is increasingly common in cinema. François Ozon’s recent drama Everything Went Fine focused on its perception by society and the family. Emily Atef’s film, which was mostly shot in the Norwegian fjords, immerses the viewer in the thoughts and feelings of the main character. Here there a great deal of synchronicity with the visually very different Titane by Julie Ducournau. The body of the heroine of the Cannes-nominated film is reborn in a hybrid mechanism, creates a new life, and then immediately dies. For Emily Atef, the body is equally subordinate to the psycho-emotional logic of its «carrier.» Rather than focusing on the political aspects of death, the film shows it as a choice, both existential and corporeal.
The film will be shown in French, Norwegian, and English with Russian subtitles.
More Than Ever
Director Emily Atef
France, Germany, Luxembourg, Norway, 2022. 123 min. 18+
