Watch My Friend Victoria

My Friend Victoria is a 2014 French film directed by Jean-Paul Civeyrac, based on a short story by Doris Lessing. The film follows the life of a young black woman named Victoria (Guslagie Malanda) from her childhood to adulthood, exploring themes of identity, race, and class. Victoria is raised by her single mother in a poor area of Paris. One night, when she is about eight years old, she is taken in by a well-to-do white family, the Pages, who find her wandering the streets alone. While Victoria's mother is out working, she spends most of her time with the Pages' daughter, Fanny, and the two become close friends despite the cultural differences between them. The Pages' wealth exposes Victoria to a world she has never known before, but also highlights the stark contrast between her own life and that of the Pages.

As Victoria grows up, she becomes aware of the prejudices people hold against her because of her race. Despite her academic achievements, she struggles to find employment due to discrimination. She also struggles with her own identity, feeling torn between the world of the Pages and her own cultural roots. Her relationships with men are often complicated by race as well, as she finds herself both fetishized and ignored by different men for the color of her skin.

Despite the hardships she faces, Victoria remains strong-willed and independent. She refuses to let others define her and continues to forge her own path.

The film is notable for its unconventional narrative structure. Rather than following a traditional linear plot, the film is structured as a series of vignettes at different moments in Victoria's life. This format allows the film to explore a range of themes and delve into different aspects of Victoria's character. It also creates a sense of timelessness, as the film moves seamlessly from past to present and back again.

The film's visual style is also distinctive. Shot in black and white, with occasional bursts of color, the film has a dreamlike quality that underscores its themes of memory and identity. The cinematography is striking, with a mix of long takes and close-ups that capture the emotional intensity of the film's characters.

The performances in the film are uniformly strong. Guslagie Malanda gives a powerful performance as Victoria, imbuing the character with a quiet strength and dignity. Nadia Moussa is excellent as Fanny, Victoria's childhood friend who remains a steady presence in her life. Catherine Mouchet is also impressive as Madame Page, the benevolent but somewhat detached woman who takes Victoria in.

Overall, My Friend Victoria is a poignant and powerful film that tackles weighty themes with sensitivity and nuance. Its nonlinear structure and striking visuals make it a unique and memorable viewing experience.

My Friend Victoria is a 2014 drama with a runtime of 1 hour and 35 minutes. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.2 and a MetaScore of 53.