Rue du retrait

Based on the Doris Lessing book, "The Diary of a Good Neighbour," this is a beautiful and quiet story of a gruff,lonely 90-year-old woman,Mado, and a 40-ish successful businesswoman, Isabelle. One day in a pharmacy, proud Mado (Dominique Marcas)requests a favor of Isabelle (Marion Held), who accompanies to her home on Rue du Retrait (a true street, with a meaningful name). Isabelle is shocked by Mado's decrepit that have neither tub, toilet or phone. She is drawn to what she has seen, and brings small gifts, and stays for visits that are little thanked by Mado. And yet the relationship slowly grows, surprising viewers by what occurs. Brings out the current need of elders for social support, and in many cases, financial as well. The issue of caregiving, which is an increasingly important issue in all countries today,is dealt with in a most humanistic way.

Rue du retrait is a film which is quite unique to René Féret for various reasons.Firstly,it is a film which he shot in his own area,near his own house.Rue de retrait is the name of the street in 20th arrondissement in Paris where Mr.Féret stays.So in a way the location afforded a lot of familiarity in terms of location to the cinéaste. Secondly,the making of this film will always remain a miracle of sorts for René Féret as no big production house was willing to finance such a brave,absolutely uncommon film in France.So this film was finally made due to René Féret's personal intervention and highly individual efforts. Its visual style was applauded by a great French filmmaker named Bertrand Tavernier who has long been one of René Féret's admirers.For this film René Féret decided to use DV mode as it offered him a lot of creative freedom to adapt a difficult and touchy topic involving sad life of an old lady who was excluded from society.Rue de retrait is a must for all those viewers who wish to enter old people's lives and their eccentric world.