A Christmas Tale - Un conte de Noël
As the wildly dysfunctional Vuillard family gathers for the holidays, they’re rocked by the news that matriarch Junon (an imperious Catherine Deneuve) is ill and in need of a bone marrow transplant. When it turns out that the only blood matches are her black-sheep son (Mathieu Amalric) and troubled grandson (Emile Berling), an emotional tug-of-war over who will be the donor plays out against the hilarious, heartbreaking, chaotic backdrop of a family reunion. Filled to the brim with playful stylistic touches—iris shots, shadow puppets, an extended homage to Vertigo—and acted to perfection by the top-notch ensemble cast, this bittersweet holiday fable is uncommonly wise, affecting, and attuned to the mysterious inner workings of a family. An NYFF46 selection.