The glorious 54th edition
of the Thessaloniki Film Festival made history
in the first 10 days
of November 2013.
Names, lines,
retained glitter,
dorade a la vapeur,
red wine and long local legs,
abuses and desabuses,
all mixed in a formidable place,
in a divine weather...
of the Thessaloniki Film Festival made history
in the first 10 days
of November 2013.
Names, lines,
retained glitter,
dorade a la vapeur,
red wine and long local legs,
abuses and desabuses,
all mixed in a formidable place,
in a divine weather...
One of the discoveries
of this edition
was a tribute to the filmmaker from the pink waves
of Toulouse,
Alain Guiraudie,
with 5 films
among which the latest:
"L'Inconnu du Lac"
(STRANGER BY THE LAKE).
of this edition
was a tribute to the filmmaker from the pink waves
of Toulouse,
Alain Guiraudie,
with 5 films
among which the latest:
"L'Inconnu du Lac"
(STRANGER BY THE LAKE).
The subject:
Bodies, exuberant male bodies, always nude, and an invisible phantasm.
Bodies, exuberant male bodies, always nude, and an invisible phantasm.
The location:
the shore of a lake, where linger men looking for sex.
the shore of a lake, where linger men looking for sex.
The soundtrack:
the movement of the trees
and the breath of the excited lovers.
the movement of the trees
and the breath of the excited lovers.
Alain Guiraudie,
awarded Best Directing at Cannes in Un certain regard
and one
of the most gracious guest stars at the 54th Thessaloniki IFF,
allows us a documentary look
on the gay universe.
It is an anxious world
that the Director doesn’t soften up with any feminine figure
or digressions on life “elsewhere”…
awarded Best Directing at Cannes in Un certain regard
and one
of the most gracious guest stars at the 54th Thessaloniki IFF,
allows us a documentary look
on the gay universe.
It is an anxious world
that the Director doesn’t soften up with any feminine figure
or digressions on life “elsewhere”…
and the almost metaphysical logics of thriller,
in order to show the insatiable sex cruising scene.
At the beginning of the season, Franck meets Henri,
recently divorced.
Henri sits everyday stearing at the water, simply looking for serenity.
recently divorced.
Henri sits everyday stearing at the water, simply looking for serenity.
The only pause from the sexual
choreography around
are a few conversations between
Franck and Henri,
probably a bisexual,
a shy, fearful, unaesthetic guy.
choreography around
are a few conversations between
Franck and Henri,
probably a bisexual,
a shy, fearful, unaesthetic guy.
But Henri is the raisonneur of
this story,
he questions life and
relationships,
as in the films of Rohmer,
and Franck is his faithful auditory.
this story,
he questions life and
relationships,
as in the films of Rohmer,
and Franck is his faithful auditory.
When a drawn body is found,
the idyllic image of that shore is lezarded.
the idyllic image of that shore is lezarded.
The main suspect is Michel, 40,
a homoerotic icon of the ‘70ies,
on whom Franck phantasizes.
As Michel is the best swimmer
and a very performing lover.
He is a carnivorous figure
who gets rid of his partners
by killing them
when they become too attached
(a dream situation for many).
a homoerotic icon of the ‘70ies,
on whom Franck phantasizes.
As Michel is the best swimmer
and a very performing lover.
He is a carnivorous figure
who gets rid of his partners
by killing them
when they become too attached
(a dream situation for many).
Conducting the enquiry
is a loony inspector,very atypical.
He is one that scrutinizes the
human landscape
taking his time
to understand more
than just the criminal scene.
is a loony inspector,very atypical.
He is one that scrutinizes the
human landscape
taking his time
to understand more
than just the criminal scene.
Guiraudie places his « L’Inconnu du Lac »in the frame
of a very realistic kind of cinema,
with a very natural acting for his characters.
of a very realistic kind of cinema,
with a very natural acting for his characters.
It is a very sincere
and never complaisant
kind of cinema
(far from the aesthetical view of
“Sebastian” by Jarman).
It travels to the deepest roots
of the relationship between man
and nature,
between people;
it confronts the controversy
between sex and love,
and the limits of loving,
without pointing a moralistic finger.
Guiraudie talks about this malady
of nowadays
when sex + passion = - love…
Just sex for the sake of sex,
without feelings,
without relationships….
and never complaisant
kind of cinema
(far from the aesthetical view of
“Sebastian” by Jarman).
It travels to the deepest roots
of the relationship between man
and nature,
between people;
it confronts the controversy
between sex and love,
and the limits of loving,
without pointing a moralistic finger.
Guiraudie talks about this malady
of nowadays
when sex + passion = - love…
Just sex for the sake of sex,
without feelings,
without relationships….
…And he has the force
of affording ejaculations
and oral sex scenes
without wanting to be “scandalous”.
of affording ejaculations
and oral sex scenes
without wanting to be “scandalous”.
It is a film
on the pure and magnetic
fascination,
the “horror tremendum et fascinans”.
As here temptation pairs with jeopardy.
It is not by chance that its
protagonist prevents his partner
from using a condom,
and it is not random
that he continues to meet him
even though he knows he is the
assassin.
on the pure and magnetic
fascination,
the “horror tremendum et fascinans”.
As here temptation pairs with jeopardy.
It is not by chance that its
protagonist prevents his partner
from using a condom,
and it is not random
that he continues to meet him
even though he knows he is the
assassin.
And this is where lays
the « plus value » of this film.
As in all fairytales
(and this is one, including a forest)
the dread of the Big Bad Wolf
hides the desire of meeting with
it!
As coming from a tumultous fear
of solitude
and indifference….
the « plus value » of this film.
As in all fairytales
(and this is one, including a forest)
the dread of the Big Bad Wolf
hides the desire of meeting with
it!
As coming from a tumultous fear
of solitude
and indifference….
The directing
is extremely geometrical,
eloquent
and elegant.
is extremely geometrical,
eloquent
and elegant.
The lake is therefore its perfect picture.
The clear water mirror
is synonymous of freedom,
of a confined freedom though,
enclosed by the shore all around it.
The clear water mirror
is synonymous of freedom,
of a confined freedom though,
enclosed by the shore all around it.
In these microcosms,
cars are parked within geometrical
habits, and their drivers sunbathe
in the same angles,
closer to the water
or to the forest.
cars are parked within geometrical
habits, and their drivers sunbathe
in the same angles,
closer to the water
or to the forest.
Days seem to repeat equally,
while the tension rises.
while the tension rises.
In this natural paradise
where instincts express freely,
the legend of an tremendous
monster
and the reality of a drown body
disrupts the routine and Franck’s soul.
where instincts express freely,
the legend of an tremendous
monster
and the reality of a drown body
disrupts the routine and Franck’s soul.
The shining light
of the first afternoon
makes gradually place to the sunset.
Its light confounds and hides.
This is a kind of light
that has rarely been explored in
cinema, marking the end
of the confidence
that daylight offers
and the submersion
into the black heart of the night.
of the first afternoon
makes gradually place to the sunset.
Its light confounds and hides.
This is a kind of light
that has rarely been explored in
cinema, marking the end
of the confidence
that daylight offers
and the submersion
into the black heart of the night.
The film of Guiraudie is a fine esquisse
of the sometimes ironical portrait
of this type of community.
But not only...
Here there is room for the voyeur,
such as for the super hygienic guy,
or the fetishist
or the fake heterosexual.
of the sometimes ironical portrait
of this type of community.
But not only...
Here there is room for the voyeur,
such as for the super hygienic guy,
or the fetishist
or the fake heterosexual.
Over all, though,
lingers desolation
and destruction,
as if abandoning this place
would necessarily bring
to everyone's annihilation.
lingers desolation
and destruction,
as if abandoning this place
would necessarily bring
to everyone's annihilation.
by Giulia Dobre
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