Film Review
Inguélézi is a film that
probably has a greater resonance ten years on than when it was made,
the plight of immigrants in search of a better life being
something that we in the privileged west are now more
acutely aware of.
It's an unusual departure for director
François Dupeyron, not only with regard to its subject matter but
also its style. In stark contrast to the epic feel of
La
Chambre des officiers (2001), the director's best known
and most highly regarded film so far,
Inguélézi
has a raw intimacy which arises as much from its confined scope as its
modest means of production, on a micro-budget and filmed with a hand-held digital video camera.
In his third film for Dupeyron, Eric Caravaca gives a harrowingly
convincing portrayal of an immigrant desperate to find a life for
himself, and Marie Payen is equally impressive as a woman
coming to terms with a painful bereavement. It seems unlikely that
two such contrasting characters could develop any kind of
meaningful rapport but somehow affection and a shared
understanding finds away to blossom and it is a tribute to both
actors that the relationship feels natural and credible. The film's
raw cinéma vérité style is appropriate but tends to
distance the spectator from the protagonists, preventing us from
fully engaging with them as it is such a clunky and obvious cinematic device.
Whilst it has less emotional power than Dupeyron's previous films,
including his easily overlooked
C'est quoi la vie? (1999),
Inguélézi impresses as much with its
its raw humanity as its topicality.
© James Travers 2007
The above content is owned by filmsdefrance.com and must not be copied.
Next François Dupeyron film:
Drôle d'endroit pour une rencontre (1988)
Film Synopsis
Geneviève is unsure how she is going to cope after the sudden death
of her husband. After dropping her daughter off at her mother's, she
takes to the road and is so wrapped up in her grief that she scarcely notices
the world around her. In the darkness of the night the spectacle of
a lorry in flames is hard to miss. It seems that the lorry was loaded
with illegal immigrants, many of whom will most likely have perished in the
fire.
Once the police have turned up to attend to the incident, Geneviève
continues on her way. Back home, she opens the boot of her car and is
surprised to find a young man inside. Exhausted and frightened, the
only word the stranger can utter is
Inguélézi.
Unable to explain why, Geneviève feels compelled to take pity on the
unfortunate wretch. She takes him under her wing and agrees to help
him fulfil his dream - to travel to England...
© James Travers
The above content is owned by filmsdefrance.com and must not be copied.