Photo : © Émilie Brisavoine / bathysphere productions / Micro Climat
Documentary Saturdays: Maman déchire
Prepare for a raw and mesmerizing journey through a complex mother-daughter bond that feels like a psychedelic home movie turned into a cathartic art piece. This cinematic deep dive unpacks layers of family secrets and feminism with such sincerity that you will be thinking about its characters long after the credits roll.
Bibliothèque Marguerite Audoux (Paris 3rd)
About
Experience a deep dive into the complexities of motherhood and family ties with the screening of the documentary Maman déchire by Émilie Brisavoine. Hosted at the Bibliothèque Marguerite Audoux, this film portrays the enigmatic Meaud through a unique aesthetic blend of found footage and pop-art collage. Intended for adult audiences, this screening takes place on Saturday, October 31, 2026, from 15:30 to 17:00. Attendance is free of charge, though booking in advance is mandatory. The venue is fully wheelchair accessible and equipped to accommodate visitors with cognitive disabilities, ensuring a comfortable environment for all attendees.
Émilie Brisavoine attempts to pierce the greatest mystery in the universe: her mother Meaud. A broken child, punk mother, brilliant grandmother, and spontaneous feminist, Meaud fascinates as much as she drives people crazy. Maman déchire is an intimate odyssey, a journey through the labyrinth of the psyche.
Émilie Brisavoine offers, as a path to healing, a psychedelic, psychic, and esoteric journey through time, taking the form of a pop collage halfway between a home movie, found footage, and a handheld camera performance.
Ten years earlier, the filmmaker had already filmed her half-sister's teenage relationship with Meaud in Pauline s’arrache (2015). This time, she involves herself in the family fresco and takes a stance, evoking along the way the approach of Jonathan Caouette in the incandescent Tarnation (2003). Will she manage to confront her mother and soothe their relationship? A film to see as a family, as an attempt at reconciliation.
Our take on this event
Join us on Saturday, October 31, 2026, from 15:30 to 17:00 at the Bibliothèque Marguerite Audoux for a screening of Émilie Brisavoine’s documentary, Maman déchire. Building upon her earlier work, the director examines her relationship with her mother, Meaud, through a psychedelic and intimate lens. The film functions as a cinematic collage, blending home footage with a direct, performative approach to explore the challenging dynamics of a mother-daughter bond.
This documentary serves as a profound investigation into personal memory and the desire for reconciliation. By documenting her mother’s journey—a figure described as a punk, a feminist, and a brilliant yet maddening personality—Brisavoine creates a work that resonates with the raw honesty of diaristic filmmaking. It is a meditative look at a family labyrinth, crafted as an attempt to find peace with the past.
Please note that this event is strictly for those aged 18 and over. The library is committed to accessibility, offering full wheelchair access and specific support for those with cognitive disabilities. While admission is free, reservations must be made in advance via the provided channels to secure your attendance.
