User reviews

The story is at the same time hard and touching, a deep diving in the intricacies of family relationships. Very far from the kitsch-touch of some subsequent movies of Ozon. Under the provocative varnish, a drama upsetting on the relation father-son, the melancholy which presses the heart, on homosexuality and the difficulty in liking and being liked in return.This film is far from the voyeurism which one could fear with the reading of the script.

The play of François Delaive is definitively like a razor. People that like this short-movie must absolutely see "Abattoir" ("Slaughter-house"), a movie from Didier Blasco (the co-scenarist of "Petite Mort") with the same François Delaive.

Paul a young gay photographer is tormented by a photograph of himself as a baby. He believes he is incredibly ugly and rejected by his father. When his father is dying, he photographs him lying naked in his hospital bed. This is a form of revenge. After his father's death a box of family photographs is presented to Paul and he discovers the startling truth. The film depicts how tension and misunderstanding can arise within a family. Paul seeks solace in his relationship with his lover Martial who assists in his photographic activities. In his portrait gallery he has a series of photos of contorted faces of men at moment of orgasm. The title of this French film "La Petite Mort" translates as "Orgasm". The acting is good throughout, but for me the most moving scene follows the telephone call informing Paul of his father's death.

As with other Ozon films, this one is cast and shot perfectly.

Ozon delivers a snapshot of a fairly ordinary situation of a prodigal son who doesn't come back and lives his own life to prove some point to his father.

The key point and question, in my humble opinion, is the envelope that his sister puts into the box with photos. Can she be sure that it will put the guy back to peace with him (even if it's too late) instead of adding guilt to the already-not-too-pleasant cocktail of his feelings?

Definitely worth seeing, 8/10

The story centers on a young gay photographer and his emotional and physical confrontation with his family.

No summary will do justice to the manner in which this highly unconventional film unfolds.

In just 26 minutes this film packs more ideas and emotion than most features. The director lets the images speak for themselves and they are indeed funny, unsettling and quite powerful.

Another title from The Collected Shorts of Francois Ozon, La Petite Mort is a brilliantly realized little film, subtle and disturbing, with more nuance than most full-length movies. François Delaive is perfectly cast as Paul, the tormented photographer; his face is absolutely beautiful, a thrill to watch.

You recognize his style from the first scenes. And, like each of his films, this one gives questions, propose sketches of answers. A film about parenthood, pictures and reconciliation. About revenge, love and pain. About the relation with yourself. Well acted, provokative story. Nothing new, at the first sigh. Except the familiar detail- Francois Ozon is the same and the different in each of his films. So, a father, a sister and the love of his life around a young man looking for define himself using an early photo.