Title: Beau Travail
Year: 1999
Director: Claire Denis
Country: France
Language: French
Claire Denis' Beau Travail first got on my radar went it made #7 in Sight and Sound's 2022 list of 100 Greatest Films of All Time. Not many people have heard of this film - but the people who have seen it are absolutely in love with it. Fans of the film claim it's a "masterpiece"; so I decided I had to see ii (on The Criterion Channel) for myself.
This film focuses on ex-Foreign Legion officer Galoup (Denis Lavant) as he recalls his once-glorious life of leading troops in the Gulf of Djibouti.
Beau Travail is not your typical film. It is a deliberately paced, visual poem that transcends the medium. Told through a series of non-linear flashbacks and introspective moments, the plot is set aside in order to immerse us into the psychological complexities of our main characters.
Cinematographer Agnes Varda captures the vast landscapes of Djibouti through a poetic lens. The use of color, lighting, shadows and - of course- score add to a mythological atmosphere that heightens Travail's spiritual feeling. The choreography makes each soldier's actions feel like a dance, making a statement on the nature of masculinity.
Beau Travail is a remarkable achievement in filmmaking. It innovates by pushing the boundaries of what a film can be. While I haven't fallen head over heels yet - I know that repeated viewings will only make me appreciate the picture more.
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