Review of My Little Princess (2011) by Matthew S — 28 May 2015

A relevant, but ultimately failed film. Eva Ionesco has made a film loosely base on her own childhood in which her mother photographed her in dramatically controversial ways. Most likely, because this "art" was done in the mix of the cultural confusion of the 1970's -- Ionesco's mother's work was accepted as "art" and challenges of "child porn" were never culturally addressed.

While similar art was created in the US with Brooke Shields --- that work carried an uncomfortable innocence despite courting controversy. Ionesco's work was anything but innocent and remains to many (including myself) perverse and repugnant child exploitations.

And, here lies the challenge for the adult Eva Ionesco: to make a film about the exploitation of a child without actually exploiting the child actor playing her. It is a conundrum beyond Eva Ionesco's reach either because she lacks to skill or she is too emotionally vested to figure out how to do it.

Isabelle Huppert does her best and manages to avoid falling into the trap of "camp" due to some of ways in which her dialog is scripted. Anamaria Vartolomei as this version of the filmmaker proves a gifted child actor.

Another plus is Jeanne Lapoirie's cinematography which is lush and captures the era of the time. However, in the end, this is a very interesting cinematic error. For those interested in the subject matter from the perspective of the controversial 1970's photographic work's subject or fans of Huppert, it is well worth seeing.

It is too bad that Ionesco could not find a way to make what could have been a strong cultural commentary regarding child exploitation rise above the restraint result that is created.