Page 2 January 14, 2021 EL SEGUNDO HERALD
Entertainment
Shattered By Loss, Pieces of a Woman
is a Devastating Portrayal of Grief
By Morgan Rojas for Cinemacy
Between the emotional rollercoaster of a
nearly 30-minute-long opening scene–shot
in one take–and Vanessa Kirby’s gutting performance,
Pieces of a Woman (now available
to watch on Netflix) is mesmerizing cinema
through and through. Award-winning Hungarian
director Kornél Mundruczó presents a skillfully
crafted observation of a woman regaining
control of her life after a traumatic loss.
Before diving in, I feel the need to note
that this film and its portrayal of an infant’s
death might be triggering for some audiences.
Expectant young couple Martha (Vanessa
Kirby) and Sean (Shia LaBeouf) anticipate
their daughter’s arrival; looking at minivans,
decorating the nursery, and preparing for a home
birth with their mid-wife Eva (Molly Parker)
are just some of the tasks left to accomplish
before welcoming their baby girl. Never would
they anticipate that once the delivery begins,
things would go drastically off-course.
Blame is immediately placed on the midwife,
despite no evidence of her wrongdoing.
Instead of picking out car seats, Martha is
picking out headstones. As humans, we often
try to find (or create) answers to justify why
bad things happen to good people. It’s easier
to comprehend bad news if we feel like there
is a reason for it, otherwise, we flounder in
uncertainty.
Pieces of a Woman carries on from this
devastating event to show the trauma that
Martha and Sean are left with, trauma that
extends to include Martha’s mother Elizabeth
(Ellen Burstyn). One scene-stealing monologue,
where Elizabeth chokes back tears of anger
and remorse, is the definition of heartbreaking.
Written by Kata Wéber and executive
produced by Martin Scorsese, Pieces of a
Woman is a performance-driven tour de force
of a film. The result is a raw glimpse at the
physical and psychological after-effects of a
loss that is rarely portrayed onscreen. Here,
Mundruczó shows there is no right way to
grieve, and Vanessa Kirby’s embodiment of
a shattered woman trying to put the pieces
together is powerful.
While Pieces of a Woman offers a shocking,
yet captivating look at human condition
when suffering tragedy, its power is definitely
in its 24-minute, uninterrupted opening
scene. The choreography is both fluid and
chaotic, and I held my breath in anticipation
of what was to come. Kirby and Parker’s
dynamic-relationship in this scene is the
epitome of feminine strength and is by far the
most unforgettable scene in the whole film.
It can be gritty and hard and unfair, but life
can beat you down if you let it. Pieces of a
Woman shows that resilience is the only way
forward, and that while it may feel impossible,
there is always hope on the other side. •
Love Thy Neighbor
Dear El Segundoans,
The Herald staff and I only know so many El Segundoans,
but we want to learn about more of you. With 8,000
residents, we’re sure there are some gems we may have
overlooked or not been aware of them. Do you have an
interesting friend, neighbor or student? With most of El
Segundo sports and events on hold, we are looking to do
more El Segundo residents’ profiles. All you have to do
is ask their permission and send us
their contact information. Of course,
if you find yourself fascinating, send
us your information too.
– Best to you all. HM.
Send your suggestions in to
letters@heraldpublications.com
Pieces of a Woman, courtesy of Netflix.
Walk With Sally from front page
chance to create a bond, vent, sympathize,
distract themselves, and meet a community
full of people who have been through similar
Founder of Walk With Sally, Nick Arquette
trauma, the mentors also get the chance to
make friends with other adults who understand
their trials. In one case, she even says
two mentors in the program met their match
and got married.
Often, she says, the mentors tell her that
they are getting more out of the program
than the kids. It’s a way for both parties to
work through their trauma and gain a lasting
relationship out of it. Walk With Sally doesn’t
just stop at mentorships. They also provide
resources and guidance, such as helping
families get emergency financial assistance
and kids get scholarships.
Pre-pandemic, the staff was going into
families’ homes, getting to know new community
members in person and speak with
kids about the program and evaluate how to
best help. With Covid, Cegelski describes
the mental health of kids declining in the
absence of their mentors’ physical presence
and the difficulty of switching everything to
a virtual platform. Though things are different,
she says that their events and Friendship
programs are still running.
Every year, Walk With Sally holds a
fundraiser called the Friendship Bowl,
where mentors and their mentees take over
a bowling alley to raise money to support
more Friendships. Obviously, with the health
barriers blocking the way this year, they’ve
decided to take the tournament and create a
virtual gaming event. The first of its kind for
the organization, they are excited to play in
March and are still seeking angels to help
fund the project and their program.
In addition, they host a fundraising party
called White Light White Night every year,
which encourages attendees to wear all white
as a healing color, and invites them to participate
in a silent and live auction, cocktails
with partner Tito’s Handmade Vodka, and a
special musical performance. Last year the
party was transitioned to a safer at-home
version, but the celebration and heart of the
event were unchanged.
Arquette describes Walk With Sally as
the “hub” of southern California in terms
of family cancer stories and community.
They continue to grow and expand in size
and influence, and they hope to continue to
provide mentors and resources to families in
need of support. Of his SoCal community,
Nick says that a little goes a long way. Just
showing up is the first step to helping, and
even small gestures make a big difference.
If you or someone you know is struggling
with the illness of a family member,
or if you’d like to volunteer, email info@
walkwithsally.org, or visit their website at
walkwithsally.org. •
Mentors and mentees gather for Walk With Sally surf day.
Julie Cegelski, program director for Walk With Sally
Melissa Ostrowski, Development and Communications Associate
for Walk With Sally
Morgan Rojas