“A Little, A Lot, Blindly”, Clovis Cornillac’s first movie as a director is a beautiful surprise. The concept of a love relationship born on either side of a building wall is very touching and a great life lesson.
A puzzle inventor, boorish and closed in on himself since the death of his girlfriend seven years ago, “encounters” a young pianist who does not believe in her own talent because of her authoritarian and possessive father who has been breaking her since she was a child.
Beyond the funny situations, this story reveals great truths about relationships.
Everyone has their own fears they manifest in their own way and manage as they can. In couple relationships, there is no miracle cure to making it work. But this movie pinpoints small things we should focus on more to avoid many conflicts and make our lives smother.
A few things that can make a difference:
- Respect for each other. Respect includes both the other’s space, and to listen as well as not to impose on the other. Meanwhile, beware not to forget to respect oneself and our own needs in the process – I am thinking of our own needs for a private space and time for our self. A couple does not add up to 1+1=2. A healthy couple relationship is 1+1=3, which means that each retains his/her own integrity, but shares something strong with one another without encroaching on the other’s so-called integrity, or his/her own.
- Beyond the physical aspect. A couple relationship is not only made of touching each other, the view of the other and knowing we are a couple. Above all, a couple is to SEE the other. This means to see him/her really, beyond appearances and words. Over the years, each has developed his/her own techniques to protect, to hide his/herself. A couple relationship should be the place where the two can BE, totally and truly themselves. In this movie, they first lifted the barrier of appearances by falling in love on either side of a wall. They are discovered one another not through physical contact, but through every day sounds.
- Beyond words. When we risk ourselves to “see” the other, silence is necessary for the physical encounter to happen in the most authentic way, the closest to ours senses. Sometimes, words can reflect poorly our intentions or lead to misunderstandings. Sometimes, we have no words to describe what we feel in the moment. So, our best option in a time of sensual discovery may be silence.
In a word. Through this movie, the golden rule put forward is to dare trusting, trusting our instincts and what our inner self has to say – not the mind. We must let our inner capricious child speak and be lenient with it. But, above all, we must dare listen to what the little voice deep inside has to say and be guided by it.
A Little, A Lot, Blindly … I loved it!
© Text by Nancy for OUAStylist