Sunday, March 8, 2009

2009 French Film Festival (1) - Modern Life

This evening, my daughter and I went to our first film of this year's festival showing at Verona and Academy in Paddington. In total we have selected four:
Modern Life
It's hard being loved by Jerks
Seraphine
Made in '68
Our joint selections tell you that we err on the side of documentaries and that we both have photographic pretensions. Kirsten speaks French. Modern Life was by Raymond Depardon and was 90 minutes of absolute delight. As a budding still photographer, it was entrancing to be able to be aware of the framing and the light in much of the footage. Set in the Massif, the story is of a disappearing farming life showing cantankerous neolithics for whom you come to have much compassion. The opening and closing of the film is a voyage down a twisting country road to the 'cello music of Gabriel Faure and the low afternoon light. Depardon values the silence of white-space. The silhouette of Raymond Privat - the 83 year old uncle who was hooked on breeding - on the plateau neatly encapsulates striving when the race is lost. Full of pathos and yet so very human.

Quite glorious ...

1 comment:

Annie said...

Thanks for the review Julie...it sounds like one I should see! Good to have a recommendation.