31. Madame; movie review .

 

MADAME

Cert TBA

94 mins

BBFC advice: TBA

It must be a heck of trauma to be a young person who wants to come out but knows that their very traditional family will be thrown into a tailspin.

Thus, they are trapped between wanting to be themselves and not distressing the people they love.

Some might say the emphasis is on parents and grandparents to shift their views but Stephane Riethauser's Madame shows it isn't quite as simple as that.

The documentary reflects his search for true self alongside the love he has for his plain-speaking but rather adorable grandmother.

Through home-movie footage, taken initially by his father and latterly by him and his friends, Riethauser explains the process of discovering his sexuality and finally coming out.

This is done with the backdrop of a privileged background in Switzerland and a family which had narrow expectations of him.

His parents fulfilled the template - academic success, Swiss Army, high-fliers in business and, on the face of it, the perfect family.

Ironically, his grandmother had been more of a free spirit - achieving her own high stature as a businesswoman in a world ruled by men.

Her strength is in contrast to Stéphane who grew up with so many doubts that he invents a nickname for a jock facade that he believes the world wants to see.

However, his journals give away his real thoughts.

We found Madame interesting to a point but this is a very intimate family saga which drills down into very personal events.

Indeed, we felt a bit like voyeurs who were staring into a private space.

And, while we were inquisitive as to what would happen when Stéphane came out to his parents and grandmother, I doubt whether the film will live long in the memory.

Reasons to watch: The trauma of coming out in a traditional well-to-do family

Reasons to avoid: The documentary is too intimate

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 5/10

Did you know? Despite its liberal history, same-sex marriages are still going through the process of becoming legal in Switzerland. A referendum must be held if its opponents collect 50,000 signatures within three months. 

The final word. Stephane Riethauser: "I think my grandmother and I were made of the same wood. With her, I wasn't playing, never. There was something very strong in our relationship."

 

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