- @Tom News
- Sep 2017
The Sociologist and the Bear Cub - Gay Marriage social commentary through hand puppets
By : isamupipe
The series crosses the ocean to delve into a bitter debate that has stirred passions in France for a decade. For several months in 2012-13, the country was locked in a struggle over a marriage equality bill introduced by the Hollande government. During the debate, sociologist Irène Théry, one of the architects of the proposed law, appeared in public frequently, to communicate the intent of the reform as clearly as possible. Her son Mathias and his creative partner Étienne Chaillou seized the opportunity to film Irène in her daily routine, secretly recording her phone conversations with Mathias, and shooting documentary footage as well as reconstructions – using teddy bears.
The result is a film as playful as it is political, as intimate as it is universal, that delivers a measured, intelligent reflection on a major social issue. It is a touching, funny and unforgettable portrait of a mother-son relationship, and a thoroughly original chronicle of a pivotal moment for modern France.
The series crosses the ocean to delve into a bitter debate that has stirred passions in France for a decade. For several months in 2012-13, the country was locked in a struggle over a marriage equality bill introduced by the Hollande government. During the debate, sociologist Irène Théry, one of the architects of the proposed law, appeared in public frequently, to communicate the intent of the reform as clearly as possible. Her son Mathias and his creative partner Étienne Chaillou seized the opportunity to film Irène in her daily routine, secretly recording her phone conversations with Mathias, and shooting documentary footage as well as reconstructions – using teddy bears.
The result is a film as playful as it is political, as intimate as it is universal, that delivers a measured, intelligent reflection on a major social issue. It is a touching, funny and unforgettable portrait of a mother-son relationship, and a thoroughly original chronicle of a pivotal moment for modern France.
