Catherine Corsini’s The Divide (La Fracture) stars Valeria Bruni Tedeschi and Marina Foïs as Raf and Julie, two women on the verge of a breakup, stuck in a hospital on the night of a major demonstration of “yellow vests” which overwhelm an already frantic staff of workers. All hell breaks loose when the demonstration nears the entrance of the hospital, forcing the doors to be closed. Corsini thrusts the audience right into the harsh reality of a hospital that is understaffed and overstretched, giving a glimpse into the staff’s lives as well as the lives of their patients.

It’s impressive how the chaotic atmosphere is captured, because although there’s so much happening all at once on screen, there’s not a single interaction that feels wasted. But The Divide truly shines in its brief moments of stillness. When we get to watch Raf and Yann (Pio Marmaï), an injured “yellow jacket”, put their differences aside and go out of their way to help one another – despite painful injuries hindering their ability to move – plenty of comedic moments ensue. It’s this shared laughter and connection between strangers in the middle of a seemingly dire situation that’s so touching. Arguably, a real standout performance here is Aïssatou Diallo Sagna as Kim, one of the nurses on duty, who provides hope that people with a genuine empathy for humanity are out there to help.

Corsini shows Yann being treated as unimportant while he suffers through his injuries, worried not about himself, but about making it to work on time – a reality for a lot of people. Witnessing the mayhem in The Divide inside one single hospital allows the audience to see the larger issues at hand.

RATING: 4/5

INFORMATION

CAST: Valeria Bruni Tedeschi, Marina Foïs, Pio Marmaï

DIRECTOR: Catherine Corsini

WRITERS: Catherine Corsini, Agnès Feuvre, Laurette Polmanss

SYNOPSIS: Two women on the verge of a breakup are trapped in a hospital on the night of a big demonstration.

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