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Baptême

Name: Baptême
Director: René Féret
Released: 1989
Duration: 127 min

Representation Score

2.4/10

Limited

1989

Director

René Féret

Runtime

127 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

Baptême is a personal, semi-autobiographical period drama that focuses on intimate family dynamics rather than broad societal issues. It highlights the proactive ability to act of a female protagonist navigating social constraints. However, the film operates within a conventional framework that assumes everyone is straight and cisgender, focusing on a narrow demographic context in northern France. Despite a lack of diversity in race and sexual orientation, it offers a meaningful challenge to traditional gender roles.

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Category Breakdown

Does Baptême have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film depicts a heterosexual relationship between Aline and Pierre, with no same-sex intimacy or non-conforming gender identities.

How does Baptême portray gender?

Good

Aline challenges mid-20th century gender roles by taking control of her life. She proposes marriage and uses strategic deception to overcome parental authority.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Baptême?

Limited

The film is set in a 1935 northern French mining town, reflecting the homogeneous demographics of the time. The story centers on a localized, white European working-class experience.

How does Baptême represent religion and culture?

Fair

The story examines the conflict between personal desires and traditional family structures. It emphasizes personal emotional truth over strict adherence to social norms and parental control.

Does Baptême include disability representation?

Minimal

There are no disabilities that play a central role in the characters' stories or the plot development.

Present on Screen

Aline actively challenges traditional gender roles through her actions.
The film explores the tension between personal desires and family authority.

Limited or Absent

The story lacks racial and ethnic diversity, reflecting a limited demographic range.
There is no representation of LGBTQ+ identities or non-conforming gender expressions.

Official Synopsis

In this film, director Rene Feret tells the story of his parents' lives. In 1935 his mother Aline works in her parents' cafe in a mining town in northern France. There, she meets a customer, Pierre and decides she is going to marry him. In a reversal of roles, she is the one who proposes to him, and she also engineers a false pregnancy to persuade her parents to okay the match. With a few stops along the way, the story picks up after the war with the birth of the couple's third son, who is given the name Rene in memory of their first, dead son. Never rich, they achieve some level of financial stability just as their sons are about to head off to the city for college. The love between the two older people is highlighted in a poignant scene as, just as he is about to die, the father shares a champagne toast with his wife in memory of one of their happier moments.

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