Nénette et Boni
Nénette et Boni (English: Nenette and Boni) is a 1996 feature film directed by Claire Denis, written by Denis in collaboration with Jean-Pol Fargeau.
The soundtrack to the film is by the English band Tindersticks.
Plot
After the death of his mother, Boni (Grégoire Colin) moves his friends into her house and begins working selling pizzas. He entertains violent sexual fantasies about a baker (Valeria Bruni Tedeschi) who lives nearby. He is visited by his younger sister Nénette (Alice Houri), whom he is estranged from, who reveals that she is pregnant and moves into his home against his wishes.
Reluctantly, Boni begins to take his sister to doctor's appointments where they learn it is too late for her to have an abortion. As Boni gradually warms to the idea of being an uncle, Nénette looks into having a Jane Doe birth which will allow her to give birth anonymously and have the child adopted immediately. However, after Boni insults her for considering the option she attempts to abort the child at home, passing out before being rescued by Boni.
At the hospital Nénette bans Boni from the birth of her child, but he returns later, armed with a gun, and kidnaps his nephew, bringing him home to take care of him.
Cast
- Grégoire Colin as Boni
- Alice Houri as Nénette
- Jacques Nolot as Monsieur Luminaire
- Valeria Bruni Tedeschi as Baker's wife
- Vincent Gallo as incenzo Brown
- Malek Brahimi as Malek
- Gérard Meylan as The Uncle
- Alex Descas as The gynaecologist
Production
The film marks the second collaboration between Denis and Vincent Gallo and Grégoire Colin both of whom had worked with her before in U.S. Go Home.
Release
The film premiered at the 1996 Locarno International Film Festival where it won the top prize of the festival, the Golden Leopard, as well as a Special Prize for Valeria Bruni Tedeschi and Grégoire Colin for their work on the film and a Prize of the Ecumenical Jury Special Mention for Claire Denis.
The film also played at the 1996 Toronto International Film Festival.