Une tête disparaît

The Head Vanishes (2016)

*** (out of 4)

An elderly woman is walking around carrying her head in her arms. She boards a train where she's trying to get away from another woman following her. The elderly woman simply wants to get to the beach for her birthday. THE HEAD VANISHES is a pretty touching film that has our lead being an elderly woman obviously suffering from dementia. The film clocks in just under ten-minutes and director-writer Franck Dion certainly knows how to tell a story in a rather unique way. The film is rather gloomy and it has a certain sadness about it and I'm sure these factors will have some people either not wanting to watch it or simply turning it off. If you're willing to sit through it the film is certainly very rewarding.

This Canadian story is a metaphor about dementia and is therefore a film children simply won't understand or appreciate. When the film begins, you see a headless body at a train station. It soon finds the head and together they take a train…pursued by someone from the old folks home who insists that she needs to move there. However, the headless woman knows she can care for herself. Plus, if she moves there, they won't let her take this pleasant little trip to the beach. Throughout her time on the train, this seemingly malevolent lady keeps following the beheaded lady.

Not surprisingly, in addition to being surreal, this is a sad film…but appropriately sad. I enjoyed it quite a bit but also understand that this is not a film for everyone. Beautifully animated…and wistfully sad.

Once we realize that this film is about dementia, it starts to make sense. The daughter is on the alert as her mother (grandmother?) goes off on her own, not recognizing any controls. The unique thing is that she has no head on her shoulders. She carries a head around, but tends to misplace it. We are given hints along the way as to what is going on, but as it is with dementia, we never know when the person is going to revert. Well done metaphorical presentation.

a film about dementia.bitter, simple, far to be comfortable for the viewer, lost in the wood of symbols, suppositions and need to understand the truth. and, for the first, you discover the inspired drawings, the delicate colors, the way of granny and the desire to have the small desires in fact. the end is far to be surprising. because it reminds a well known truth inside yourself. the fear to be different. the fear of oldness. and the fear of a form of solitude without borders.

'THE HEAD VANISHES': Four Stars (Out of Five)

A 5-minute Canadian/French animated short film (spoken in the French language). This one is about a woman with dementia, who is still obsessed with the idea of completing her annual trip to the seaside. Her adult daughter assists her on her journey. It was written and directed by Franck Dion, and it's not completely clear what the short is about, as it starts out. It is very artistically shot and illustrated though. The visuals are quite impressive, and hauntingly memorable at times. It's also a touching story as well, especially for those with loved ones that have the same problem. This short is actually better than some of the ones that were nominated for Oscars this year.

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