Nationale 7 (2000)
Directed by Jean-Pierre Sinapi

Film Review

Nationale 7, Jean-Pierre Sinapi first full length-film, skilfully avoids the obvious stereotypes and minefield of political correctness and succeeds in offering an insightful, often touching, window into a world which is rarely visited in dramatic fiction.  Sinapi's inexperience as a director is more than compensated by his ability as a screenwriter, and he delivers a work which is engaging, humane and, in places, acutely funny.  In its way, National 7 is a ground-breaking film, provoking some controversy when it was released, because it dares to portray severely disabled people as ordinary human beings, with the same needs as able-bodied men and women.

Ironically, the way in which the film is presented is just as likely to put off potential spectators as its subject.   Originally commissioned for French television (but later given a cinematic release), Nationale 7 was filmed with a digital video-camera, and consequently, at first glance, has the appeal of a low-budget schedule-filler.  This certainly puts up something of a barrier for anyone wanting to take the film seriously, but, once you get into the subject of the film, it scarcely matters.  If anything, the film's raw feel adds to its authenticity and charm, and indeed seems to remove a barrier or two between the spectator and the characters in the drama.  In a way, accommodating the film's unusual style is a bit like learning to accept disabled people for what they are, and not judging them by how we first see them.

Whilst the acting is not great, most (if not all) of the characters manage to gain our sympathy and succeed in giving us a new perspective on life.  Those who are not moved by the wheelchair bound egregious sex-obsessed René have plenty of other characters to identify with: a disabled depressive punk rocker who performs chicken runs on his specially adapted motorcycle across a busy motorway; a handicapped gay Muslim and Johnny Halliday fan who wants to convert to Catholism; a therapist whose allergy for cats ruins his love life; and the redoubtable care workers Julie and Sandrine, who have more than enough emotional turbulence in their own lives.   Although the plot may appear somewhat far-fetched it is in fact based on a true-story (recounted to Sinapi by his sister, a professional care worker) - as the film reveals in its rather poignant last few minutes.

Film Synopsis

After a full and active life, a middle-aged man, René, is struck by a muscle-wasting disease and finds himself in a care home for the mentally and physically disabled.  As his condition slowly worsens, he becomes increasingly bad tempered and unpleasant towards his care workers.  He explains that his irritability is caused mainly by his desire to make love and he persuades his carer, Julie, to find him a prostitute.  Aware of the legal and moral implications, Julie manages to persuade the home's director to go along with this unusual kind of therapy, although finding a prostitute willing to service a disabled man proves somewhat more difficult...