Film Review: Vivre sa vie (My life to live). Director: Jean Luc Godard.

 

France has given stellar contributions in the world panorama. It is the land of freedom, feminism, films and fashion. France was among the first countries to pioneer for equal rights, choice and freedom. 'Vivre Sa Vie', literally meaning 'My life to live' is a French film directed by Jean Luc Godard, and streaming on 'The Criterion Channel', Youtube about the choices a woman named Nana makes in her life. A multitude of people in general, embrace the flow of their life and go where it leads them. A modicum make conscious choices. The veritability of those choices is another matter altogether, but the important fact is that choices are made.

It would always be easy and convenient to only make befitting life choices when everything else is pleasant and hunky-dory. But what about situations where life itself and survival itself is at stake? In line with Sartre's interpretation, the purpose for which man chooses to do anything is irrelevant. The only thing that matters is that choices are made, and there is cognizance of these choices. The protagonist, Nana, a 22 year old lady aspires to be an actress, and in that process makes some tragic choices. But, her resilience as a whole and the knowledge of these choices is something noteworthy. In spite of whatever happens with Nana and the way the society looks at her, her hope to get on with life as it is, is something novel. The very fact that the film was made in 1962, with the amount of foresight and phlegmatism it characterises and exudes is astounding. Godard embodies Sartrean existentialism in the course of Nana's journey, as differentiated from her quest of being an actress. 

All human beings have a natural urge to improve their quality of life, but are all human beings in a position to make conducive, symbiotic and life-enhancing choices? The film, at once portrays and questions the reality, and that is the magic of Godard. Nana is a good and reasonable woman doing all that she can to fulfill her aspirations. The powerlessness of Nana in the context of what her choices led to, yet the power of Nana to lead to that powerlessness is portrayed simplistically.  The audience can understand how Nana feels and empathize with her. 

'Vivre Sa Vie' wins hearts because it is not a typical film where a washed up woman blames the society for her misery, nor does it talk of class divide, and mostly because it is not a film where the protagonist is helpless. Nana knows what she is getting into, and takes everything as it comes, at once optimistically and cynically. Her character is the living version of a delectable fusion of Dr. Pangloss and Matthieu Delarue. She is conscious in the choices she makes, and yet hopeful in those choices. 

The film is ahead of its time as it has a female lead in the city of Paris looking for opportunities to prove herself. The protagonist is a wonderful conversationalist who talks to strangers about the enigma that life is, how fickle a moment is, and how fast everything changes. Nana is a complicated protagonist, and most people cannot understand her for her unabashed rationality. The fact that a wonderful person like Nana needs to fend for her survival and not just dream of being an actress makes the audience want to relate the modern notion of 'woke is broke' to the 1960s. The portrayal of the scenes in the film is mature, yet does not emanate obscenity. 

Anna Karina was a wonderful actress. Her beauty, gentility and absolute talent with a sense of style that she breathes into Nana is nothing short of brilliant. The film has a run-time of about 85 minutes, and is divided into chapters that depict the choices that Nana makes and the roads those choices lead to. 

The direction has a relevant flow which makes Nana's choices appear reasonable. Godard's wit and expansive knowledge is seen throughout the film. The very idea of making such a film and depicting man's own responsibility for his actions makes this film a benchmark in itself. 'Vivre Sa Vie' is an art-lover's  and a bibliophile's delight. The film needs to be watched for its grip on the story, bon mots and simplicity in portrayal along with impactful background music.

Overall, 'Vivre Sa Vie' is a film that creates internal fortitude, and leads the audience to a definite conclusion: we shape who we are. It must not be missed. 

MY TAKE: 8/10. 

Watch trailer here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAZGR5O33jw

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Author: Ms. Radhika Sunil Vaidya. 

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