Abysses and Wonders

Jean Boiron-Lajous / France / 2025 / World Premiere / 78 min.

synopsis

Christine’s father died when she was still a small child, and she remained in the care of her sadistic mother, who beat her and abused her psychologically. Christine is still convinced that her mother hid a farewell letter from her beloved father. Jean’s father committed suicide several years ago, and left behind a lengthy letter, but Jean never found the courage to read it. Together, Christine and Jean embark on a unique road trip across the French countryside to visit Christine’s mother, and try to confront the past. During their journey in the sunny atmosphere of summer days, with a mixture of humour and irony, they uncover deep family traumas from the seats of their convertible, and look for ways to understand them. They meet friends and random passers-by and, in authentic conversations, come up against the fact that pain caused by those closest to us is a universal human experience. Gradually, the question arises as to how much we are determined by what we have inherited from our parents. How can we overcome generational trauma, and ensure that we do not hurt our loved ones as we were hurt?

“I think for a long time I thought she was intelligent, so there were things she could teach me about life. But actually, not at all, she had a shit life.” — Christine

biography

French director Jean Boiron-Lajous (b. 1975) studied film at the University of Lille 3, and the University of Aix-Marseille. He is the author of a number of documentaries and short films on social and environmental issues, and has also worked as an editor and producer on several films. He teaches film courses.

film details

director:	Jean Boiron-Lajous
producer:	Loïs Rocque
script:	Jean Boiron-Lajous
photography:	Jean Boiron-Lajous, Benoît Guidi
editing:	Xavier Sirven
music:	Antoine Pesle
sound:	Christine Dancausse