Naoto Ihara lives happily with his wife Miyuki and their son Haruto. Their happiness is crushed when Miyuki suddenly dies in a car accident. Naoto falls into deep grief over the death of his wife. Meanwhile, Haruto buries his dead mother Miyuki’s finger in their garden and prays everyday for her to come back to life. The family is visited by video director Hiroko Kurasawa, who used to work with Naoto Ihara. There she sees Haruto shouting a strange spell in their yard. Unexpected and bizarre phenomenons soon take place around Hiroko Kurasawa.
Forbidden Games: A Haunting and Heartbreaking Exploration of Childhood Innocence and the Horrors of War
Forbidden Games (Jeux Interdits), directed by René Clément, is a poignant and unforgettable masterpiece of French cinema. Released in 1952, the film tells the story of two young children, Paulette (Brigitte Fossey) and Michel (Georges Poujouly), who find solace in each other during the tumultuous period of World War II. Through their innocent games, they confront the horrors and absurdities of war and the fragility of life.
Innocence and Resilience in the Face of Tragedy
At the heart of Forbidden Games is the bond between Paulette and Michel, two children who are forced to witness the unimaginable. Paulette, a precocious young girl, has lost her parents in an air raid. Michel, a shy and withdrawn boy, is orphaned after his father is killed at the front. In the midst of this devastation, they find comfort in each other's company.
Their games are a reflection of their innocence and resilience. They play in the ruins of their homes, pretending that they are explorers in a vast and dangerous jungle. They invent rituals and create their own private world, where they can escape the pain and chaos that surrounds them.
Through their games, Paulette and Michel grapple with the complexities of death and loss. They bury dead animals and hold mock funerals, trying to make sense of the senseless tragedy that has befallen them. Their actions are both heartbreaking and inspiring, as they demonstrate the resilience and imagination of children who have endured unimaginable horrors.
The Absurdities of War
Forbidden Games is not only a story about the innocence of children, but also a powerful indictment of the senselessness of war. Clément uses Paulette and Michel's games to highlight the absurdity and hypocrisy of war. The children's games mirror the behavior of the adults around them, who are also engaged in a meaningless and destructive conflict.
In one particularly poignant scene, Paulette and Michel play a game where they pretend to be soldiers. They use sticks as guns and march around, shooting at imaginary enemies. Their game is a childlike imitation of the war that is raging all around them. It is a sad reminder of the way that children are often forced to confront and process the horrors of war.
A Haunting and Unforgettable Masterpiece
Forbidden Games is a masterfully crafted film that lingers long after the credits roll. Clément's direction is sensitive and insightful, capturing the complex emotions of his young protagonists with great sensitivity. The performances of Fossey and Poujouly are simply breathtaking, bringing Paulette and Michel to life with an astonishing depth and authenticity.
The film's cinematography is both beautiful and haunting, creating a world that is both dreamlike and unsettling. The use of color and shadow is particularly effective, evoking the innocence of childhood and the horrors of war in equal measure.Forbidden Games is a film that will stay with you long after you have seen it. It is a powerful reminder of the resilience and fragility of human life, and a haunting indictment of the devastating effects of war on both children and adults alike. It is a masterpiece of French cinema that deserves to be seen by generations to come.