Winter Boy

When adolescence is shattered....

I love when a movie can instantly set a tone, a mood and an atmosphere.  That exactly what writer and director Christophe Honoré does in 2022's Winter Boy.  It's through his writing and directing, it's set by the actors, and their superb performances, and it's set through the coldness of a long and barren winter.  The tone is one of grief, and it's impact on 17 year old Lucas played so beautifully by actor Paul Kircher. 

It's also intimately set by the personal experiences of the Honoré.  In addition to writing and directing the film, Honoré also plays Claude, Lucas' father, who dies near the beginning of the film.  The death, and the question of whether it was an accident, or a possible suicide, are based on Honoré's own experiences after losing his own father when he, like Lucas, was just 17.

Lucas is just finishing is final year of boarding school when his father's sudden death shatters everything he took for granted.  Lucas struggles in the aftermath, dealing along with his mother Isabelle (Juliette Binoche), and older brother, Quentin. (Vincent Lacoste)   Filled with rage and despair, he visits his older brother in Paris to seek solace in this new city. 

Even without having to deal with the death of a parent, there are already struggles with being 17.  Lucas is in the process of finding out who he is, now, without his father around as a guide.  When it Paris, it's 

Quentin’s gay roommate, Lilio, (Erwan Kepoa Falé) that Lucas initially connects with.  Lucas sees the much older Lilo as both both something of a father figure, and a potential lover. 

Lucas' journey, was for me,  incredibly engrossing, especially in the hands of the talented and engaging Kircher.  Although Lucas is 17, Kircher would have been about 20 or 21 when the film was made. Grief rarely arrives on the tail of just one emotion.  Sadness is just the upper layer, with anger, reflection, and even moments of discovery and joy.  Kircher hits every note of them all, even when these emotions are sometimes in conflict with one another.

It's Lucas's journey that we follow, and for many, there's a fascinating sensuality to grief.  Loss for some, especially when you lose a parent when you're young, or when you lose a partner or spouse, also often involves discovery.  This comes through new experiences, new sexual partners, and often, eventually new love.