Alix Delaporte’s impeccably observed drama tracks thirteen-year old Victor (Romain Paul, here in his big-screen debut), a talented student and athlete growing up in grim circumstances: He and his single mother, Nadia (Clotilde Hesme), severely ill with cancer, live in a trailer home on the outskirts of Montpellier. Victor has never met his father, a famous conductor named Samuel Rovinski (Grégory Gadebois)—though the teenager hopes for some kind of reunion when he learns that his estranged dad will be in town to lead the local orchestra in a performance of Mahler’s Sixth Symphony. The title of the film refers to the “mighty strokes of fate” delivered by a percussionist at the end of this musical composition—a fitting motif for a teenager whose own life often hangs in the balance. Without a trace of sentimentality, The Last Hammer Blow presents an unforgettable young man bravely shouldering immense responsibilities.
This film is a part of the Young French Cinema program, which was made possible with the support of UniFrance and the Cultural Services of the French Embassy.
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Launching right after Bastille Day, this new series of modern French cinema showcases francophone narratives and documentaries from around the world.