My Father’s Glory

Marcel is born in the country but raised in Marseilles, where his father Joseph works as a hard-working, atheistic school teacher. His maternal aunt Rose marries Uncle Jules, a rotund and devout Catholic. The two men clash over religion, foreshadowing the ideological divide that threads through Marcel's life.

During the summer, Marcel's family and Aunt Rose's household travel to a shared house in Provence. The opposing beliefs of Joseph and Jules create an uneasy but affectionate backdrop for the vacation. The trip promises a simple escape, but the tension runs beneath the surface.

Jules offers to educate Joseph on hunting, and the adults lie to Marcel, telling him they think he is asleep as they leave early. He wakes to find them gone and quietly follows, angered by Jules's display of hunting prowess that humiliates his father. The morning is a fragile prelude to the holiday's tensions.

Marcel arrives at the hunting scene and witnesses Joseph's embarrassment as Jules reprimands him for missing birds. When the moment arises, Marcel steps into view and reveals both himself and the partridges, exposing the deception behind the lesson. The incident crystallizes the fault lines between the adults and the young boy.

Lili appears as a knowledgeable local who understands the countryside and soon befriends Marcel. She teaches him about the lay of the land and the rhythms of the hills. Their bond offers Marcel a different orientation to the world beyond his parents' dispute.

Marcel and Lili spend much of the holiday exploring the hills, learning who they are and how to move through the landscape. They share discoveries and stories, deepening their companionship. The countryside becomes a classroom and sanctuary away from home.

As the holiday draws to a close, Marcel and Lili plan to hide in a cave and live as hermits, seeking independence from his family and their conflicts. He imagines a solitary life but also feels the sting of fear at the unknown. The plan marks a turning point in his longing for escape.

On the day of departure, Marcel rises early and writes a letter explaining his disappearance to his parents, warning them they will not be able to find him in his new home. He leaves the letter on his pillow as a quiet, determined message. The house begins to stir with the departure preparations.

He heads toward the cave with Lili but the thought of living alone unsettles him, so he improvises excuses to avoid the hermit life. He returns to the family home to rethink his plan rather than follow through immediately. The moment underscores his fear and his dependence on family ties.

Back at the house, Marcel discovers the letter is still on his pillow and convinces himself that no one has read it yet. The expectation of rebellion lingers as the day presses on. The tension mounts as preparations for leaving continue around him.

In a late, quiet moment, his parents make a remark that suggests they actually did read the letter. The revelation shifts Marcel's sense of agency and his plans for running away begin to crumble. The family remains together, even as the underlying conflict remains unspoken.

The family departs in a coach, marking the end of the Provence holiday and the moment where the future feels uncertain for Marcel. Lili watches from the roadside, embodying a bittersweet memory of the summer. The final image leaves Marcel's path open to interpretation.