A Missing Part

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A Missing Part
French theatrical release poster
FrenchUne part manquante
Directed byGuillaume Senez
Written by
  • Guillaume Senez
  • Jean Denizot
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyElin Kirschfink
Edited byJulie Brenta
Music byOlivier Marguerit
Production
companies
  • Les Films Pelléas
  • Versus Production
Distributed by
  • Be for Films
  • Haut et Court
Release dates
  • 9 September 2024 (2024-09-09) (TIFF)
  • 13 November 2024 (2024-11-13) (France)
  • 20 November 2024 (2024-11-20) (Belgium)
Running time
98 minutes
Countries
  • Belgium
  • France
Languages
  • French
  • Japanese

A Missing Part (French: Une part manquante) is a 2024 Belgian-French drama film directed by Guillaume Senez. It premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on 9 September 2024.

Premise

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Having lost custody of his half-Japanese daughter after a divorce, a French taxi driver in Tokyo spends his days looking for her. When she finally enters his taxi, she does not recognize him.

Cast

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Production

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Director Guillaume Senez was inspired to write the film after learning about post-divorce parental custody rights in Japan.[1][2] To aid in their research, Senez and actor Romain Duris met with three French nationals who lost custody of their children under to Japanese law.[3]

Principal photography began in October 2023. Filming locations included Tokyo, Sagami Bay, and Yokohama.[4][5]

Release

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A clip from the film was released on 6 September 2024.[3] The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on 9 September 2024.[6] It received a theatrical release in France on 13 November 2024.[3]

The film closed the 40th Santa Barbara International Film Festival on 15 February 2025.[7]

Reception

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David Opie of IndieWire gave the film a grade of B+, writing, "This often quiet, thoughtful story of a man who's incomplete reminds us to keep fighting for the part that's missing, whether that be striving for change or even just existing to fight another day."[8]

Louis Roberts of Loud and Clear Reviews rated the film four stars out of five and wrote: "Serez's film raises questions that go beyond mere legislation, interrogating the attitudes that make up a country's social fabric. That he manages to achieve such ambitions without sacrificing the movie's intimacy speaks volumes about his craftsmanship."[9]

Aurore Engelen of Cineuropa wrote: "Buoyed by a super-efficient screenplay, composed of little nothings which result in this impossible encounter, taking a chiaro-scuro path towards a resolution that's as luminous as it is doomed from the outset, A Missing Part explores both a father’s obsession and the irreconcilable otherness of a foreigner or stranger."[10]

Paul Enicola of The Asian Cut complimented Senez's direction in portraying a "deglamorized Tokyo...allowing the city to emerge as a character in its own right. And with the urban landscape mirroring Jay's estrangement and alienation, the film [emphasizes] his growing sense of disconnect from a world that has always felt foreign to him."[11]

Accolades

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Award Date of ceremony Category Recipient(s) Result Ref.
Magritte Awards 22 February 2025 Best Film Nominated [12]
Best Sound Nicolas Paturle, Virginie Messiaen, Franco Piscopo, and Olivier Thys Nominated
Best Costume Design Julie Lebrun Nominated
Best Editing Julie Brenta Nominated

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Keslassy, Elsa (6 September 2022). "'One Fine Morning' Producer Les Films Pelleas Sets Next Project by Guillaume Senez, Guillaume Brac, Anne-Sophie Bailly (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Archived from the original on 4 September 2024. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
  2. ^ Keslassy, Elsa (30 May 2023). "David Thion, Producer of Palme d'Or Winner 'Anatomy of a Fall,' Prepares Guillaume Senez' Japan-Set 'Une Part Manquante' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
  3. ^ a b c Goodfellow, Melanie (6 September 2024). "Romain Duris Japan Custody Law Drama 'A Missing Part' Unveils First Sales & First Clip – Toronto". Deadline. Archived from the original on 7 September 2024. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
  4. ^ Dams, Tim (16 October 2023). "Guillaume Senez starts shooting 'A Missing Part' starring Romain Duris in Japan (exclusive)". Screen Daily. Archived from the original on 4 September 2024. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
  5. ^ Engelen, Aurore (17 October 2023). "Guillaume Senez reunites with Romain Duris for Une part manquante". Cineuropa. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
  6. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (6 August 2024). "TIFF Centrepiece Lineup Includes Works By Steven Soderbergh, Erin Lee Carr & Mohammad Rasoulof". Deadline. Archived from the original on 28 August 2024. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
  7. ^ Hammond, Pete (17 January 2025). "Santa Barbara Film Festival Sets Full 2025 Program, Will Partner With Direct Relief To Raise Funds For L.A. Wildfires". Deadline. Retrieved 18 January 2025.
  8. ^ Opie, David (10 September 2024). "'A Missing Part' Review: Romain Duris Fights for His Estranged Japanese Daughter in a Thoughtful Custody Drama". IndieWire. Archived from the original on 11 September 2024. Retrieved 11 September 2024.
  9. ^ Roberts, Louis (10 September 2024). "A Missing Part Review: Families Lost in Translation". Loud and Clear Reviews. Archived from the original on 11 September 2024. Retrieved 11 September 2024.
  10. ^ Engelen, Aurore (10 September 2024). "Review: A Missing Part". Cineuropa. Archived from the original on 11 September 2024. Retrieved 11 September 2024.
  11. ^ Enicola, Paul (13 September 2024). "TIFF 2024: 'A Missing Part' Artfully Tells the Story of a Foreigner and a Father". The Asian Cut. Archived from the original on 16 September 2024. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  12. ^ "Magritte du cinéma 2025: 'La nuit se traîne', nommé 11 fois, en tête des nominations de la 14e édition". La Libre (in French). 21 January 2025. Retrieved 22 January 2025.
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