Le Cerisier

Nina Snieg

France / 2024 / Fiction / 22’3”N2501135

Cerisier
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SYNOPSIS

(Detailed Synopsis) End of August 1964, it's night, a big house in the middle of a garden. Upstairs, a light appears and then goes out. We hear animal and bird noises. A man comes out and lights a cigarette. The next morning, Yvonne, the mother of the family, fetches her mail from the letterbox. She has received a letter announcing the admission of her eldest daughter, Michèle, to a boarding school. Yvonne is quick to break the news. In the kitchen, stepfather Jacques, Michèle and her little sister Madeleine are having lunch. Michèle is not particularly happy to hear the news, as she has always enjoyed living in this house. Jacques, faced with this attitude, lectures her: this is a great opportunity Yvonne is offering his daughter, and she has no say in the matter. A few hours later, Madeleine slips into her big sister's room and throws herself into her arms, hugging her tightly and telling her how much she'll miss her. Indeed, the two sisters are very close. In the evening, Jacques and Yvonne celebrate with a drink, while Madeleine plays with her dolls. Michèle overhears obscene gestures in her sister's play. Jacques notices this too, and sternly reprimands the little girl. Early in the morning, the girls have fun washing up. In the background, Yvonne is on the phone, preparing for Michèle's departure in ten days' time. A few days later, while the girls are playing in the garden, Yvonne brings them a bowl full of cherries. They throw themselves into it and enjoy. The two sisters thought it would be great to be able to eat them every day, so they came up with the idea of growing a cherry tree in the garden. They set off in search of gardening books. One night, while Michèle was asleep, Madeleine came to wake her up. She'd had a nightmare and had wet the bed, and was afraid to go and see her mother. Michèle takes charge of the situation. Rubbing the sheets, she discovers a small bloodstain. The next day, the girls rinse the cherry pits and dry them in the sun, as recommended in the book. The eldest daughter overhears her mother joking with Jacques about her daughters' new fruit project. Michèle is offended and decides to investigate further. One night, Michèle finds the solution: put the cherry stones in a cool place so that they germinate later. She rushes to her sister's room to tell her of her discovery, but surprises Jacques who emerges. Stunned, she hurried back to sleep. The next morning, Michèle takes care of placing the pits in boxes to keep them cool. Madeleine arrives and asks her sister what she's doing. Michèle, aloof, explains the solution she has found. Silence. Finally, she asks if she was alone in her room last night. Madeleine doesn't answer. While combing her hair in her room, Michèle comes across a bra belonging to her mother. As she tries it on, she catches a glimpse of Jacques and Madeleine together through the window. Michèle is confused, but is quickly cut off by her mother, who returns to her room. Yvonne is shocked to see her daughter in her bra and scolds her. At the end of the evening, the two sisters are under a tree house in Madeleine's bed. Michèle tells her sister a story about a predatory ogre. They laugh. Michèle promises that when they meet again, they'll go far away and build the house of their dreams. Madeleine is filled with wonder. This lovely moment is interrupted by the arrival of Jacques, who tells them it's time for bed. The next day, Yvonne is cooking with her eldest daughter. Michèle decides to talk to her mother. With great courage, despite her fear, she tries to find the words to explain what she has seen. Yvonne, overcome with anger, slapped her and made her promise never to speak of it again. With tears in her eyes, Michèle leaves the room. She rushes into the scullery, opens the boxes containing the cherry pits... They hadn't changed in appearance. Overcome by grief, she throws them on the floor and bursts into tears. A little later, Michèle has dried her tears and sees her sister sulking in the garden in the distance. Michèle asks her if she's all right, but she doesn't reply. So Michèle tells her the good news: they'll be able to plant the kernels tomorrow! Madeleine smiles again. A day has passed, and it's the eve of Michèle's departure. The two sisters stand in front of a small pit, throw the pits into it and cover them with earth. They look at the mound, then Michèle takes her sister in her arms. The day of departure arrives, and Michèle's room is empty. Michèle takes her bags and says goodbye to her family. When she embraces her sister, she gives her a folded sheet of paper and asks her not to open it just yet. Michèle finally climbs into the car that will take her to the boarding school. Unfolding the sheet, she saw a drawing of the house they had imagined together, with a cherry tree beside it. She sees Jacques' arm resting on Madeleine's shoulder. The car starts up, and Michèle stoically lets the tears roll down her face. (Pitch) At the end of August 1964, Michèle had to leave her home province in ten days' time, having been admitted to a boarding school. She leaves behind her mother, her stepfather and, above all, her little sister Madeleine, with whom she has a very close relationship. During these ten days, Michèle discovers that something strange is going on between her stepfather and her little sister, the feeling that he's hurting her. Powerless, she realizes that she's leaving Madeleine all alone in this hellish situation.

GÉNÉRIQUE