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<\/a>Played to a packed house for it’s World Premier, Born in the Ballroom<\/strong> was my favorite film at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) 2020. \u00a0It was a moving, touching, beautifully and professionally crafted film about a special matriarch, Eleanor Mailloux (affectionally called M\u00fctter) and the lives she touched of those around her. \u00a0 Born in a Ballroom was directed and written by Jonathan Lacocque and Clara Lehmann. \u00a0Clara Lehmann also appears in the movie as an actress, as M\u00fctter is her late grandmother.<\/p>\nSet in the small Appalachian town of Helvetia, West Virginia (population 59), the movie centers around The H\u00fctte, a restaurant that Eleanor Mailloux (hereinafter M\u00fctter) founded. \u00a0Helvetia was settled by Swiss immigrants and still to this day carries on many traditions brought over from Switzerland. \u00a0The H\u00fctte incorporates many authentic recipes which draws guests to the restaurant from far and wide to the restaurant. \u00a0M\u00fctter’s family home caught on fire the night she was born. \u00a0Her family found shelter in a neighbor’s home and she was “born in the ballroom” of that home. \u00a0In a way, her interesting birth story emulates the interesting life she was to lead.<\/p>\n
Through the adept use of old photographs, vintage film, interviews of family and townspeople, and footage taken during the working restaurant, filmmakers Jonathan Lacoque and Clara Lehmann weave together a film that by the end makes you feel closely connected to M\u00fctter as if she was your own special grandmother and her family as if they were your own. \u00a0The filmmakers used special touches to create an inviting feel that draws you into the film. \u00a0For instance, when showing vintage film, they used an old Zenith TV framed by books and an antique bottle to make it appear one was watching through that TV. \u00a0The filmmakers took special care during interviews to not only draw out and edit in meaningful dialogue, they used depth of field techniques to subtly blur the backgrounds out to keep the focus of attention on the subject. \u00a0I found that other techniques such as filming an image reflected off a mirror differentiated the movie from other documentaries giving it a more dramatic feature film feel. \u00a0It is also noteworthy to mention that the filmmakers used different visual cues to note different moments of the story. \u00a0For instance, during a scene when Clara is recounting\u00a0M\u00fctter’s death, there is footage taken down low from blades of grass up to the sky as well as footage of fog hanging over the valley and town. \u00a0Combined with those subtle cues of passing time coupled with Clara’s words tugged at the movie viewers heart strings. \u00a0When Clara cried, some of those in the audience also cried.<\/p>\n
I had the chance to listen to Jonathan Lacocque and Clara Lehmann share about their story and professional background during a SBIFF filmmakers panel as well as a post viewing Question and Answer session. \u00a0I have a feeling we will be seeing more from them in the years to come.<\/p>\n
I highly recommend this film and hope it is released to a wider audience so that more moviegoers can feel a part of this story and see the work of such up and coming filmmakers.<\/p>\n