Nice how La mif manages to find a balance between suffering and lust for life

The girls out la mif are vulnerable. Novinha, Justine, Audrey, Précieuse and the others have been evicted for various reasons and live together in a shelter, run by the seasoned Lora (Claudia Grob). Lora is strict, but respectful. “Vulnerable isn’t stupid,” she says.

It’s a signature statement for this impressive French-language Swiss drama, made with non-professional actresses who have more or less the same background as their characters. Director Fred Bailiff, a former professional basketball player and social worker, takes them seriously. He worked closely with the amateur actresses, whom he accompanied in workshops for two years. Their improvisations had a major influence on the final screenplay.

A similar approach led to the successful British drama two years ago rocks from director Sarah Gavron. There are also similarities in terms of content: just like rocks goes la mif (slang for family) about teenage girls with absent or powerless parents. Friendship plays an important role. The most notable difference is that Bailiff divides his attention over several characters, who take turns as the main protagonist.

la mif consists of a series of portraits, sometimes short, sometimes longer, of both the girls and their supervisors. The fact that it doesn’t become a boring sum is due to the ingenious editing: all the stories intertwine. Jumping in time, the same scenes are continued from a different point of view.

This is how it approaches la mif with circumferential movements the truth. Everyone carries secrets with them. Abuse, suicide attempts, neglect: these are not easy stories. It’s amazing how Bailiff, aided by his strong cast, manages to find a balance between suffering and zest for life. It never gets unbearably heavy.

The accumulation of confessions does have another undesired effect. Bailiff believes that everyone’s problems must be exposed, even when it undermines credibility. Not every trauma can be expressed just like that, not even at a wood fire with like-minded people.

When Lora also gives her shocking story, the circle is complete. Bailiff’s penchant for openness and rounding makes for a beautifully polished whole, but it makes la mifwhich for a long time looks so raw and authentic, also slightly less convincing.