Il était une fois Françoise Dolto - Part 1

For over 20 years, Radio-Canada's program Propos et confidences gave a variety of personalities the opportunity to tell their own stories. Entirely focused on each guest, the interviews delved deeply into moments of their lives and careers. There was nothing particularly inventive or new in the format, just straightforward and direct portraits. This somewhat old-fashioned approach is evident in these two episodes dedicated to the brilliant and revolutionary French pediatrician and psychoanalyst Françoise Dolto. The reason is simple: without technical frills and flourishes, there are no distractions from the subject and, most importantly, from the words spoken. And with Françoise Dolto, words are precise, important, and powerful, especially as they give a voice to those whose speech is not always heard, understood, or respected: children.

The first part mainly addresses the complex childhood of Françoise Dolto, who talks about her own experiences as a bright and erudite child whose ambition and desire for knowledge were completely misunderstood by her ultra-conventional and inhibited mother, for whom little Françoise nevertheless felt empathy and compassion. Her troubled childhood shaped the adult and doctor she would become, giving a clear and distinct direction to her personal and professional trajectory, which the second part of the show is dedicated to. There seems to be something miraculous about the cases she discusses, the healings she achieved, but as we listen to her describe – with her extraordinary gift for simplification – her work with her young patients and their mothers, we understand that there is nothing miraculous about Françoise Dolto's psychoanalytic approach: it is simply a matter of listening, attention, and observation. These two hours with the great lady fully highlight the three pillars of her practice.

Claire Valade
Critic and programmer