Most families have their share of dysfunction, but in the French-language film “The Midwife” Claire’s (Catherine Frot) clan takes the cake. Working as a midwife, Claire is living her life in peace until Béatrice Sobolevski (Catherine Deneuve) bursts in without warning. Like many mother-daughter relationships, the connection between Claire and Béatrice is complex. Béatrice constantly criticizes Claire, Claire harbors many resentments against Béatrice, and the two bicker constantly. It’s fairly common on-screen dynamic between mothers and daughters except for one thing: Béatrice isn’t Claire’s mother. She is the former mistress of Claire’s late father, Antoine.
When the estranged women meet for the first time in decades, Béatrice asks after her Antoine. “He’s dead,” Claire replies, trying to clamp down her anger. “Shortly after you left,” she continues before her quasi-stepmother can ask anything else. And it’s pretty obvious that Claire holds Béatrice responsible for Antoine’s death.
In spite of the bitterness between the women, “The Midwife’s” trailer shows that the two also genuinely enjoy reconnecting. “The two of us sure had fun together,” Béatrice remarks to Claire. “I’d have loved having you as a daughter.”
“The Midwife” made its world premiere at the Berlinale in February. The film, written and directed by Martin Provost (“Seraphine”), opens in New York July 7, with additional cities to follow.
