FAREWELL,
MR. HAFFMANN
Occupied Paris, 1941: all members of the
Jewish community are instructed to come forward and identify themselves to
authorities. Jewelry shop owner Joseph Haffmann (Daniel Auteuil) arranges for his family to flee the city and offers
his employee François Mercier (Gilles
Lellouche) the chance to take over his store until the conflict subsides.
But his own attempts to escape are thwarted, and Haffmann is forced to seek his
assistant’s protection.
It’s a risky proposition for both men,
Mercier’s wife Blanche (a wonderful Sara
Giraudeau) is skeptical. The agreement turns into a Faustian bargain, one
that will forever change the fate of all. Adapted from an acclaimed play and
superbly directed by Cavayé, Farewell, Mr. Haffmann masterfully
guides the viewer through a world where lives are irrevocably shaped by the
occupation. Rich in moral complexity and empathy, with several twists too good
to spoil, this is grand, big-screen adult entertainment at its finest. (France/Belgium,
2022, 115min., In French with English subtitles | Dir. Fred Cavayé)