The film Enorme, directed by Sophie Letourneur, is released in theaters this Wednesday. If he tells the story of a couple whose wife becomes pregnant while her husband has tampered with his contraception, he seems to ask a lot of questions. Can we consider the film as militant or is it really a problem?
In the movie huge, directed by Sophie Letourneur, Jonathan Cohen plays Frédéric, in a relationship with Claire. They work together: she is a pianist recognized throughout the world, he is her agent. Frédéric manages his wife's entire professional life, but not only. She seems passive, lets herself be guided by the organization of their travels and their private life, led only by Frederic. He manages everything … Until the unforgivable. While he has a strong desire for fatherhood, unlike his wife, he decides to tamper with Claire's pack of pills so that she becomes pregnant. And without telling him anything.
A story of reversed mental load?
At first, we can see the film from an innovative angle. Here, Frédéric manages everything and has to think of everything. His wife Claire shines professionally and takes care of all the logistics. He helps her not to stress before a concert by satisfying her sexually, he manages the check-ins and check-outs of all the hotels in which they travel together. Claire doesn't think of anything except her lives. The groom executes all the cumbersome details as the bride shines in her career. The latter receives praise from spectators and others. She nods, she is adored for her greatest pleasure, although discreet and often silent.
The mental load, it is Frédéric who probably has it. The logistics, the well-being of Claire and their couple, that's him. But how far does it go? In the end, when we ask his wife questions, it's Frédéric who answers for her. The ringtone to remind Claire to take her contraception, it is Frédéric who receives it on his cell phone. He's the one who has to think about it and he gives it to him. In private, the body of his wife and her fertility, it is also the husband who has the management in hand. So, can we talk about the inversion of gender stereotypes within the couple or of control and a toxic relationship between Claire and Frédéric?
A desire for pregnancy portrayed through the male gaze?
In Huge, the subject of pregnancy seems to be portrayed through the eyes of the man, the one who truly desires a child. Once the diagnosis is made and Claire, panicked, learns that she is pregnant, we spend part of the film to see Frédéric blossom in this pregnancy that he is not yet carrying. Claire is erased from the narrative to make room for her husband who, invested more than ever in the expectation of his child, goes to childbirth alone, buys childcare equipment, rounds his belly to feel pregnant. , like his wife. If previously, we saw Claire overwhelmed by the news of her pregnancy, we are taken by surprise. While we watch Frédéric prepare for the arrival of his child, we wonder about the physical and moral state of the main interested, the one who is truly pregnant.
Male gauze in the spotlight …
While Frédéric is not physically concerned by this pregnancy, it is his point of view and his emotions that are put forward. Can we talk about male gauze within this film? The question really arises. It is difficult, at least at times, to perceive the point of view of the main concerned on the subject.
Frédéric was called to order on this matter. The medical profession is often dismayed by his behavior. While he explains that he will breastfeed his child himself, the caregiver is surprised. The film then takes another turn. The subject of forced fertilization is no longer trivialized. We finally have an outside perspective on this unique situation. Frédéric must face the reality of things: he must leave a place for his wife who is directly concerned by this pregnancy.
What place for the woman, the main concerned by pregnancy in the film?
Then, as the film progresses, we discover Claire's suffering, played by Marina Foïs. When she learns that this pregnancy is not an accident, but indeed a betrayal on the part of her husband, her world collapses: "How could you do this to me?" she says. Conflicts finally appear. We unfortunately waited a long time to see him, but Claire seems to be speaking more and more about this subject which concerns her so much. She who never wanted a child, she remained passive in the face of her pregnancy and her life as a future mother. She surrendered, surrendering to the obvious and accepting that an accident could have happened, but dreaming of being able to take the stage again, thinking strongly about her professional desires and nothing else.
Then there is this obsession with those around her to see her as a womb, a womb about to give birth, and nothing else. When Frédéric introduces Claire to the caregivers, whom he knows very well, he presents his wife's belly: "I present to you biboune." Claire is dismayed, because invisible and intervenes in the conversation: "And me is Claire", she said to remind her interlocutors of her existence.
Director Sophie Letourneur confided in her desire to highlight such a subject. Referring to her own experience, she explains to the HuffingtonPost have already been confronted with the gaze of strangers, intrusive, wanting to touch her belly: "We would like to send them shit. But here, a pregnant woman who does that, right away we will see her as a monster." The film huge therefore has the merit of highlighting the injunctions inflicted on pregnant women. Trying to shake up received ideas, she reveals that pregnancy is not fulfilling for all women.
What legal penalties in the event of forced pregnancy?
Can forced pregnancy have repercussions in real life? Legally, it would appear not. But during the promotion of the film, the journalist Maïa Mazaurette, spoke on the subject in front of Marina Foïs and Jonathan Cohen: "Legally, there is no criminal qualification for forced fertilization. But there is an obstacle to abortion so there is two years of imprisonment and a 30,000 euros fine." She explains on the set of the show. Indeed, the character played by Jonathan Cohen makes sure that his wife's pregnancy lasts and that she exceeds the legal deadline to be able to abort. Thus, she is forced to go until the end of her pregnancy. This aspect is not mentioned in the film. Once again, telling the story mainly through the eyes of the groom probably has a lot to do with it. The journalist also recalls that such an act can kill a woman.
There is an obstacle to abortion so there are two years of imprisonment and a fine of 30,000 euros
There is no doubt that this film is disturbing. If a lot of subjects are covered, they do not seem to be unanimous because of the angles chosen to approach them. Director Sophie Letourneur has the merit of highlighting injunctions related to pregnancy.
However, we come out with a slightly bitter taste. The film takes time to give way to the female gaze, the female gauze. Claire is silent for a good part of this feature film. We are somewhat perplexed by the toxic behavior of Frédéric's character. The emotions of the latter are put forward more, and it is a shame, while it is essential to have the point of view of the main concerned on such a subject.
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