Familles, je vous hais

In this, his first film, director Bruno Bontzolakis has attempted to extend the playing time of a short-feature story without complete success. The focus is on 17-year-old Jessica who is struggling with reconciling the love she has for her father with the hatred she has for his right-wing politics. Instead of a shorter story dealing with this conflict alone, Bontzolakis has drawn attention away to peripheral subjects like the depressed mother of one of Jessica's friends, or the inveterate drinker at the local bar -- interesting, but distracting at the same time.

Directed by Bruno Bontzolakis, Familles, je vous hais leans on a strong ensemble — Caroline Ducey, Yvan Kolnik, Denis Cacheux — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 1997.