Reviews & Ratings for
Little Death More at IMDbPro »La petite mort (original title)

6 out of 6 people found the following review useful:
Like a razor, 25 January 2007
Author: jihel-ge from France

The story is at the same time hard and touching, a deep diving in the intricacies of family relationships. Very far from the kitsch-touch of some subsequent movies of Ozon. Under the provocative varnish, a drama upsetting on the relation father-son, the melancholy which presses the heart, on homosexuality and the difficulty in liking and being liked in return.This film is far from the voyeurism which one could fear with the reading of the script.

The play of François Delaive is definitively like a razor. People that like this short-movie must absolutely see "Abattoir" ("Slaughter-house"), a movie from Didier Blasco (the co-scenarist of "Petite Mort") with the same François Delaive.

9 out of 13 people found the following review useful:
The best short film I've ever seen, 13 April 1999

Author: Adam-95 from New York

The story centers on a young gay photographer and his emotional and physical confrontation with his family.

No summary will do justice to the manner in which this highly unconventional film unfolds.

In just 26 minutes this film packs more ideas and emotion than most features. The director lets the images speak for themselves and they are indeed funny, unsettling and quite powerful.

5 out of 7 people found the following review useful:
A truly professional piece of cinema., 16 July 1999

Author: raymond-15 from Australia

Paul a young gay photographer is tormented by a photograph of himself as a baby. He believes he is incredibly ugly and rejected by his father. When his father is dying, he photographs him lying naked in his hospital bed. This is a form of revenge. After his father's death a box of family photographs is presented to Paul and he discovers the startling truth. The film depicts how tension and misunderstanding can arise within a family. Paul seeks solace in his relationship with his lover Martial who assists in his photographic activities. In his portrait gallery he has a series of photos of contorted faces of men at moment of orgasm. The title of this French film "La Petite Mort" translates as "Orgasm". The acting is good throughout, but for me the most moving scene follows the telephone call informing Paul of his father's death.

3 out of 5 people found the following review useful:
Charming and though-provoking, 5 March 2003

Author: glabrezu from St.-Petersburg, Russia

As with other Ozon films, this one is cast and shot perfectly.

Ozon delivers a snapshot of a fairly ordinary situation of a prodigal son who doesn't come back and lives his own life to prove some point to his father.

The key point and question, in my humble opinion, is the envelope that his sister puts into the box with photos. Can she be sure that it will put the guy back to peace with him (even if it's too late) instead of adding guilt to the already-not-too-pleasant cocktail of his feelings?

Definitely worth seeing, 8/10

4 out of 7 people found the following review useful:
Excellent !, 3 September 2003

Author: Rogue-32 from L A.

Another title from The Collected Shorts of Francois Ozon, La Petite Mort is a brilliantly realized little film, subtle and disturbing, with more nuance than most full-length movies. François Delaive is perfectly cast as Paul, the tormented photographer; his face is absolutely beautiful, a thrill to watch.

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