Chocolat is one of my favorite movies. I watch it at least once every year. The story of Vivianne and her daughter Anouk begins when they arrive in a small French town wearing striking scarlet cloaks. There, Vivianne opens a chocolaterie.

 Vivianne is from a matriarchal line of wanderers, compelled to forever follow the north wind from town to town. She possesses a seemingly supernatural gift of knowing what people need. It is through this gift, that she begins to break the townspeople out of limiting patterns of belief. She heals their hearts and helps them to accept themselves and others.

This nurturing of others through her ancient chocolate recipes clearly represents the Divine Feminine. The scarlet cloak I suspect is a reference to the red robe of Mary Magdalene. And the fact that the story is set in France touches on the legend that Mary Magdalene fled to Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer after the crucifixion and that she was with child when she arrived.

That the story is set at the end of 1959 and knowing the explosion of 60’s counterculture that is about to occur, provides a perfect time frame for the underlying theme of old views butting up against new more expansive ones. You only need to check out my Pinterest fashion board to know that the fifties costumes alone make my heart go all fluttery. https://www.pinterest.com/SharonMarieBrasher/fashion/

Chocolat has so many layers and darn it, would make a fantastic musical. I even wrote a song that captures my own vision of the opening scene. Actually, it’s just a chorus and a lame attempt at best to will this magical thing into existence. Someone out there, please make this happen.

Happy Saturday!