La Fille Inconnue is a French foreign language film following
the story of a young female doctor who becomes involved in a local missing
person's case.
The film touches on real
world themes relating to the French healthcare system as well as focusing on present day socio-economic
divides across many modern French cities.
La Fille Inconnue
explores a slow-building plotline. Following the film’s main character as events unfold
around her. Making for a dramatic and mysterious storyline.
Synopsis
Jenny Davin works as a doctor at a local healthcare clinic. Every
day she sees patients, gives diagnosis’s and provides assistance to those in
need.
After a long stint at the clinic, she has been hired by the city’s hospital to replace a retiring doctor. Said new position appears to be a huge improvement, as she would be working with some of the best doctors in the country. In just a week’s time, she will join the cohort of the hospital’s ranks.
After a long stint at the clinic, she has been hired by the city’s hospital to replace a retiring doctor. Said new position appears to be a huge improvement, as she would be working with some of the best doctors in the country. In just a week’s time, she will join the cohort of the hospital’s ranks.
We follow Jenny as she is seeing her last week at the clinic
out.
After one particular long day at work, Jenny and her trainee are closing shop. While in the back, they hear someone banging loudly at the front door. Jenny tells her trainee to ignore it, affirming that closing time means closing time.
After one particular long day at work, Jenny and her trainee are closing shop. While in the back, they hear someone banging loudly at the front door. Jenny tells her trainee to ignore it, affirming that closing time means closing time.
A day later the police show up and ask to see the clinic’s CCTV
for help with a missing person’s case.
Here, Jenny finds out that the night prior a panicked woman was knocking on their door yelling for help before running off, away from an assailant chasing her.
This shocks Jenny. Struck with guilt she promises that she can help the police in any way if needed.
Here, Jenny finds out that the night prior a panicked woman was knocking on their door yelling for help before running off, away from an assailant chasing her.
This shocks Jenny. Struck with guilt she promises that she can help the police in any way if needed.
The remainder of the film follows Jenny in her last week at
the clinic as she becomes more and more involved with the missing person’s
case. As she struggles to toe the line between being helpful and becoming too
involved in the case.
All while she juggles her other professional medical responsibilities and expectations that come with joining an esteemed medical hospital.
All while she juggles her other professional medical responsibilities and expectations that come with joining an esteemed medical hospital.
Important Themes
La Fille Inconnue tells a story of accountability, responsibility
and guilt. While focusing on issues relating to the healthcare system present in
France.
The French healthcare system is funded largely impart by social security contributions.
The national government and patients themselves are also responsible for partially funding the system. You could compare it to something similar to what we have here in Canada where healthcare is free, but patients pay for a chunk of their medicines or needed procedures.
The national government and patients themselves are also responsible for partially funding the system. You could compare it to something similar to what we have here in Canada where healthcare is free, but patients pay for a chunk of their medicines or needed procedures.
Differing from Canada, France has embraced the privatization
of hospitals. Across France, approximately 40% of all hospitals in the country are
private.
These for-profit hospitals generally are better for specific client-based needs. With for-profit institutions being responsible for 75% of all day-care surgeries, 50% of all medical surgeries and one third of all procedures related to childbirth and pregnancies.
For more information on this aspect of French healthcare, click here.
These for-profit hospitals generally are better for specific client-based needs. With for-profit institutions being responsible for 75% of all day-care surgeries, 50% of all medical surgeries and one third of all procedures related to childbirth and pregnancies.
For more information on this aspect of French healthcare, click here.
In France, doctors are typically paid 40% less than their counterparts in America. It is believed their
expenses are reduced due to significant differences in university tuition and
malpractice insurance (both which are extremely lower in France).
However,
whereas doctors in North America makes more money, doctors in France typically
are responsible for looking after more patients on a regular basis. As shown in La Fille Inconnue, private institutions are also very comfortable with conducting in-house check-ups and appointments.
Conclusion
La Fille Inconnue is a great film. It explores a mysterious and
growing storyline that ultimately reveals a lot about who the characters are
and what they stand for.
La Fille Inconnue is a film that surprised me. As simplistic as
the storyline initially seemed to be, the narrative grew into quite a smart story.
At
times, things may seem slow or muted but this works well with the film.
It creates a mysterious atmosphere around events as well as making the whole story seem more real. Having you experience things as the main character learns more about the case, putting together all of the pieces.
It creates a mysterious atmosphere around events as well as making the whole story seem more real. Having you experience things as the main character learns more about the case, putting together all of the pieces.
La Fille Inconnue goes on to tell a real and personal story coming
out of the North of France. Don’t miss out on it!
