Meet the two sisters in Catherine Corsini’s Cannes competition entry, Homecoming (Le Retour). There’s the responsible one with A grades and university prospects, and then there’s the younger one who can’t resist turning up the volume and causing trouble. But despite their differences, Farah and Jessica fit together like Legos.
Corsini drew inspiration from her own life for this film, just like the sisters in the story. But while Corsini returned to Corsica to pursue her dreams, Khedidja takes her daughters to the French mainland to experience their father’s heritage. The three women’s black skin stands out among the holiday tans, but Corsini doesn’t dwell on their differences. Instead, she focuses on the emotional turmoil of sexual awakening and the sisters’ loyalty to each other.
Jessica is drawn to Gaia, Khedidja’s older half-sister, who becomes her passion and project. Meanwhile, Farah makes a frenemy with a local boy on the beach. Corsini and co-writer Naïla Guiguet capture the foibles of adolescence and new love, but the film can feel long-winded and repetitive at times.
Despite its flaws, Homecoming offers plenty to enjoy, from the delicately drawn romance between Khedidja and an old friend to the common yearning to be part of a different family. But there’s a brisker, tougher story buried somewhere on the beach, waiting to be uncovered.
