A Missing Part (French: Une part manquante) is a 2024 Belgian-French drama film directed by Guillaume Senez. It premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on 9 September 2024.
| A Missing Part | |
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 French theatrical release poster | |
| French | Une part manquante |
| Directed by | Guillaume Senez |
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| Produced by | |
| Starring |
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| Cinematography | Elin Kirschfink |
| Edited by | Julie Brenta |
| Music by | Olivier Marguerit |
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Release dates |
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Running time | 98 minutes |
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Premise
editHaving lost custody of his half-Japanese daughter after a divorce, a French taxi driver in Tokyo spends his days looking for her. When she finally enters his taxi, she does not recognize him.
Cast
edit- Romain Duris as Jay
- Judith Chemla as Jessica
- Mei Cirne-Masuki as Lily
- Tsuyu
- Shungiku Uchida
- Yumi Narita as Keiko
- Patrick Descamps
- Shinnosuke Abe
Production
editDirector Guillaume Senez was inspired to write the film after learning about post-divorce parental custody rights in Japan.[1][2] To aid in their research, Senez and actor Romain Duris met with three French nationals who had lost custody of their children due to Japanese law.[3]
Principal photography began in October 2023. Filming locations included Tokyo, Sagami Bay, and Yokohama.[4][5]
Release
editA clip from the film was released on 6 September 2024.[3] The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on 9 September 2024.[6] It received a theatrical release in France on 13 November 2024.[3]
Reception
editDavid Opie of IndieWire gave the film a grade of B+, writing, "This often quiet, thoughtful story of a man who's incomplete reminds us to keep fighting for the part that's missing, whether that be striving for change or even just existing to fight another day."[7]
Louis Roberts of Loud and Clear Reviews rated the film four stars out of five and wrote, "...Serez's film raises questions that go beyond mere legislation, interrogating the attitudes that make up a country's social fabric. That he manages to achieve such ambitions without sacrificing the movie's intimacy speaks volumes about his craftsmanship."[8]
Aurore Engelen of Cineuropa wrote, "Buoyed by a super-efficient screenplay, composed of little nothings which result in this impossible encounter, taking a chiaro-scuro path towards a resolution that's as luminous as it is doomed from the outset, A Missing Part explores both a father’s obsession and the irreconcilable otherness of a foreigner or stranger."[9]
Paul Enicola of The Asian Cut complimented Senez's direction in portraying a "deglamorized Tokyo...allowing the city to emerge as a character in its own right. And with the urban landscape mirroring Jay's estrangement and alienation, the film [emphasizes] his growing sense of disconnect from a world that has always felt foreign to him."[10]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Keslassy, Elsa (6 September 2022). "'One Fine Morning' Producer Les Films Pelleas Sets Next Project by Guillaume Senez, Guillaume Brac, Anne-Sophie Bailly (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Archived from the original on 4 September 2024. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
- ^ Keslassy, Elsa (30 May 2023). "David Thion, Producer of Palme d'Or Winner 'Anatomy of a Fall,' Prepares Guillaume Senez' Japan-Set 'Une Part Manquante' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
- ^ a b c Goodfellow, Melanie (6 September 2024). "Romain Duris Japan Custody Law Drama 'A Missing Part' Unveils First Sales & First Clip – Toronto". Deadline. Archived from the original on 7 September 2024. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
- ^ Dams, Tim (16 October 2023). "Guillaume Senez starts shooting 'A Missing Part' starring Romain Duris in Japan (exclusive)". Screen Daily. Archived from the original on 4 September 2024. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
- ^ Engelen, Aurore (17 October 2023). "Guillaume Senez reunites with Romain Duris for Une part manquante". Cineuropa. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
- ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (6 August 2024). "TIFF Centrepiece Lineup Includes Works By Steven Soderbergh, Erin Lee Carr & Mohammad Rasoulof". Deadline. Archived from the original on 28 August 2024. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
- ^ Opie, David (10 September 2024). "'A Missing Part' Review: Romain Duris Fights for His Estranged Japanese Daughter in a Thoughtful Custody Drama". IndieWire. Archived from the original on 11 September 2024. Retrieved 11 September 2024.
- ^ Roberts, Louis (10 September 2024). "A Missing Part Review: Families Lost in Translation". Loud and Clear Reviews. Archived from the original on 11 September 2024. Retrieved 11 September 2024.
- ^ Engelen, Aurore (10 September 2024). "Review: A Missing Part". Cineuropa. Archived from the original on 11 September 2024. Retrieved 11 September 2024.
- ^ Enicola, Paul (13 September 2024). "TIFF 2024: 'A Missing Part' Artfully Tells the Story of a Foreigner and a Father". The Asian Cut. Archived from the original on 16 September 2024. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
