Avant que mon coeur bascule

Tough on the outside, soft on the inside. That’s how we like to see criminal kids in our socially engaged arthouse films. Rough, raw, they may even do some unforgivable things – we’ll forgive them for that. Just as long as there’s no doubt about their purity of character.

But director Sébastien Rose doesn’t make things that easy for us. We know nothing about Sarah. We learn that she’s a criminal, that she’s under enormous pressure, sure, but also that she’s enjoying herself – with zero consideration for her victims. Until things go wrong. But is her sudden remorse real, or is she just scared?

Rose’s structure makes us doubt as well. What begins as an intensely realistic drama, shot in the expected documentary style of getting in close and shaking the camera a lot, turns out to provide room for some magical realism as well. Image and sound sometimes ruthlessly venture off the beaten path. 

Just like Sarah does. Is she good or bad? Or: why can’t she be both?

KEES Driessen
Translation Marjan Westbroek