The Line movie storyline. After a violent argument with her mother, Margaret is subject to a restraining order before her trial: she is no longer allowed to make contact with her mother or approach within 100 metres of the family home for three months. Her younger stepsister Marion paints a physical line into the grass around the family home to mark this boundary. Every day, Margaret appears at this 100-metre threshold to see Marion and give her music lessons.
The Line (French: La Ligne) is a 2022 drama film directed by Ursula Meier. It is a co-production between Switzerland, France and Belgium. The film explores a turbulent mother–daughter relationship and stars Stéphanie Blanchoud and Valeria Bruni Tedeschi. It had its world premiere on 11 February 2022 at the 72nd Berlin International Film Festival, where it competed for the Golden Bear.
The film was selected to compete for the Golden Bear in the main competition section of the 72nd Berlin International Film Festival where the film had its world premiere on February 11, 2022. The film was released in France by Diaphana Distribution on January 11, 2023.
Film Review for The Line
Violence and motherhood make for an unusual combination in Ursula Meier’s Berlin Film Festival competition title The Line (La Ligne). Set in remote present-day Switzerland, it stars actor-singer-playwright Stéphanie Blanchoud as Margaret, whose anger towards her mother Christina (Valeria Bruni Tedeschi) frequently turns physical. While she’s a grown woman, there’s something primal and childlike about Margaret’s visceral fury that suggests a disorder that’s never named.
It also points to problems in her past. These become apparent as a restraining order is filed against her, and as Christina rants about the youth she lost when she had a child so young. Christina has since had two other daughters: Louise (India Hair), now heavily pregnant, and sensitive schoolgirl Marion (newcomer Elli Spagnolo), whose way of rebelling against her bohemian, self-centered mother is to turn to religion.
It’s an arresting story of familial disharmony that’s distinctive both visually and thematically. The line of the title isn’t just metaphorical: it’s a physical line of paint rolled into the grass around the family home, a cruel and darkly comic visualization of the boundaries between Margaret and her mother and siblings.
And yet, Margaret is not an instantly sympathetic figure: she is aggressive and wild, bruised inside and out. While we’ve seen many male characters like this, it’s rare to have an adult female lead with these traits. This makes The Line as refreshing as it is challenging, inviting us to question our own preconceptions about women who communicate largely physically. Blanchoud puts in a committed and unnerving turn, very believable as a wounded, angry person, repeating furious comments over and over as she flies into an uncontrollable rage.
Meanwhile Bruni Tedeschi highlights the script’s darkly comic impulses, flitting between childlike mania and imperious self-righteousness as she commands the attention of her kids on a whim, yet neglects them at another moment. Her quixotic nature is evident in the company of her new boyfriend, Hervé (Dali Benssalah), by whom Margaret becomes quietly fascinated.
More black comedy comes courtesy of Louise, who gives birth to twins. Both babies end up being used for rich comedy and symbolism, whether being passed between family members or feeding from one breast each.
The most touching drama is from Margaret’s interactions with her younger sister, Marion, and her ex-boyfriend Julien (Benjamin Biolay) — but The Line stops short of being a deeply emotional watch. At times it feels as cold as the chilly environment it depicts. Still, it’s also an assured and fascinating insight into the kind of female-dominated family we rarely see on screen.
The Line (2023)
La Ligne
Directed by: Ursula Meier
Starring: Stéphanie Blanchoud, Valeria Bruni, Elli Spagnolo, India Hair, Dali Benssalah, Benjamin Biolay, Éric Ruf, Thomas Wiesel, Jean-François Stévenin, Louis Gence as Youri
Screenplay by: Ursula Meier, Stéphanie Blanchoud, Antoine Jacoud, Robin Campillo, Nathalie Najem
Cinematography by: Agnès Godard
Film Editing by: Nelly Quettier
Makeup Department: Virginie Berland, Kaatje Van Damme
Music by: Jean-François Assy, Benjamin Biolay, Stéphanie Blanchoud
MPAA Rating: None.
Distributed by: Diaphana Distribution (France), Strand Releasing (United States)
Release Date: February 11, 2022 (Berlin), January 11, 2023 (France), April 7, 2023 (United States)
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