Movie:Chocolat (2000)Written and woven together by: Martha Hopler and Hillary Augustine Vandenbos
The north wind blew Vianne (played by Juliette Binoche) and her daughter, Anouk (played by Victoire Thivisol) into a little French village which prided itself on tranquilité (tranquility). The village adopted a disposition free from stress or emotion where societal equilibrium was maintained by villagers knowing their place in the scheme of things. “If you happened to [forget what was expected of you,] someone would remind you. In this village if you saw something you weren’t supposed to see, you learned to look the other way.” (memorable quotes: pulled from imdb website)
Vianne and her daughter blew into the village during the winter with much stress and emotion as symbolized early on by Anouk’s imaginary, limping kangaroo Pantoufle. The trio arrived – mother, daughter, and kangaroo - on a blustery day “limping” with life baggage and sparked with inward passion, captured in their red-hooded parkas that draped their cold bodies.
Is it not the realm of the imaginary and the north winds of life change that leaves us wondering if we can go on to the next place?
At the beginning of the movie, Vianne arrives as a single woman and mother, whole, beautiful, limping, and passionate to offer her trade. She opens a chocolaterie, La Chocolaterie Maya, during lent and begins to draw out the hidden desires and suppressed emotions of the village people. Vianne’s trade is a curious combination of making and selling chocolates mixed with an intentional stance toward life. She has an eye and ear bent toward each patron’s inherent desire for flavor and passion. Like many people, Vianne’s chocolatorie is the outward processing of her inward, back story. Her mother, a Mayan woman, offered chocolate to others to help cure people’s neurosis and phobias. Her father met her mother as a traveling pharmacist searching for ancient formulas from the Mayan Indians which unlocked his hidden yearnings.
Vianne’s past and current existence and her life service are intricately woven together.
I [Hillary] love this story. I love this movie because a woman’s life and presence ripple through a small village of people as she “takes up space” with her chocolatarie and lives her life. As Vianne “claims some space territory” in the little village offering her trade and herself, transformation occurs. Vianne provides a taste of life through rich, creamy chocolates mixed with a compassionate stance towards people.
As a woman, YOU send off a ripple effect just by living. Do you notice the power of your presence? Where?
Watch Chocolate with an eye toward noticing the ripple effect that occurs through the life of Vianne, Anouk, and Pontoufle…the transformation starts with a mother, a daughter, two red-hooded parkas, an imaginary-limping kangaroo, and a lot of chocolate!
Bon Appetit’ to you –
Your life matters individually and in the context of community!
