B I M I F FR E V I E W45GRAVIDAM A FILM BY BRANDON GOTTOR E V I E W B Y M A R C E L O C E S A R"Gravidam" film sceneTHE PAIN AND THE (IN)SANITY OF LOSING A "CHILD”On a beautiful morning, with birds singing, we are introduced to anice couple who wake up with the joy of a recently confirmedpregnancy. It is just the beginning of the feature film "Gravidam"(2022), which was written, produced, and directed by the BelgianBrandon Gotto.In the couple's first dialogue we already know that there is a smallconflict between waiting for which should be the gender of thechild and the issue of announcing the pregnancy to the maternalgrandmother. Small conflicts are set, but nothing similar to whatawaits us for the rest of this story.The atmosphere of joy and uncertainty changes to a tense one withan abortion that happens spontaneously. What used to bebirdsong becomes the cawing of ominous birds, roses that used tobe beautiful and crimson red are now withered, faded, anddecaying. The tone of the film gradually changes. Thecinematography, also conducted by Brandon, which is very welldone, creates the tension needed for the drama. From happy, vividcolor tones, it changes to heavy shades of red. And there is a wholework of sound and music very well designed and executed byAntoine Ligas, which follows us from the opening credits andbrings us feelings of anxiety, depression, and above all fear. All thisaudiovisual-cinematographic technical set makes all thedifference in the quality and intensity of the film.The tension in the film only increases with Rose's disturbingbehavior, very well played by Margaux Colarusso, who also worksas the film's producer. The degradation of the couple's relationshipis progressive. The relationship with her mother, which wasalready not good, only gets worse. Rose's nights of sleep arepopulated by nightmares, where the biggest antagonist is herhusband, Antoine, also in an expressive performance by ThomasGomrée.In this way, all the tension necessary for a tragic end is alreadydrawn. Rose's mental instability brings to the viewer a tension ofgrowing madness. We wonder how a possible mother-to-be, whowould become caring and devoted, can become frail and lost inphysical and mental sanity.The ending of the film is of a sensitive message and full of meanings: froma stuffed sheep forgotten on the floor, the polaroid photos of the couple'shappiness, and the ultrasound of the fetus, we are transported to apainting of a sheep crying to the heavens for its dead offspring with crowsaround it. We know that there is no greater sorrow or consolation thanthe loss of a child, even if this child is still a fetus in formation, a situationquestioned by Rose's husband at a certain point in the film. We have nointention of judging or measuring this pain.The end of many marriages due to the loss of children, whether byaccident, crime, or suicide, is certain. And it is this conflict betweenpatience, sanity, and the pain of loss that the film is about. It is an intenseexperience that makes us reflect on situations that we often wish we neverhad to go through or experience.The film received the award for best feature film and best actress at theRED Movie Awards (2022).About the director: Brandon has been experiencing filmmaking since hewas a child, either watching movies, making, or even creating anddeveloping more and more until he got to the filmmaker he is today. Hisfirst experience with feature films was with "The Darkest Sorrows orL'enfer N'est Pas Loin", where he worked almost alone, but which servedas an exercise for the other features that would come later. According tothe director, it was a great school for the creation and production of"Gravidam", where he could work with a great team.Other films by the director: "Carnage" (2018) and "La Ligne Noire" (2020).Marcelo CesarThe director Brandon Grotto
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