In Shepherdsthe new film by Sophie Deraspe, we meet Mathyas in a small hotel in Provence, at the moment when he announces his resignation to his boss’s voicemail. Unhappy in the advertising field, the young Quebecer decided to change continents and reinvent himself as a sheep keeper. In short, the filmmaker begins her plot when the protagonist’s existential crisis has already occurred. In a traditional production, this would have been treated at length, and this opening sequence would have rather been the final scene. This is a wise narrative decision, inherited from the autofictional novel Where are you from shepherd?by Mathyas Lefebure: straight away, Shepherds is in a momentum, on a “wander to go”.
Suddenly, Mathyas began to read avidly about pastoralism: a self-taught and theoretical learning process which, obviously, hardly prepared him for the shock of reality. But Mathyas perseveres: his new life choice may seem romantic, but it is thoughtful, as evidenced by his exchanges with the regulars of the local bistro — the film is wonderfully authentic, without ever giving in to the picturesque.
Nevertheless, Mathyas’ resolve will be put to the test, more than once. On the one hand, the pastoral lifestyle is very frugal. On the other hand, this is exhausting work, where one regulates one’s activity according to nature, but where one does not count one’s hours.
Except that Mathyas does not stay alone for long in his new life. Indeed, Élise soon joins him there, a young civil servant inspired by the boldness of the first.
All-round evolution
Winner of the Best Canadian Film Award at TIFF, Shepherds is skillfully divided into three phases: the disenchantment that lurks in a breeder where secret violence reigns, the strengthening of convictions in a caring breeder and, finally, the test during the mountain pasture season, with the herd, in the mountains.
At each of these stages, Sophie Deraspe infuses a distinct atmosphere and rhythm (helped, immensely, by the artistic direction of André-Line Beauparlant, the editing of Stéphane Lafleur and the photo direction of Vincent Gonneville), as a visual manifestation of what Mathyas and Élise feel.
Speaking of Mathyas and Élise, it is interesting to note the evolution of the title of the film (which itself takes many liberties compared to the novel). So, after using the title during filming Bergerin the singular, the production ultimately opted for Shepherdsin the plural: a decision not only judicious, but appropriate.
In fact, from around the middle, the character of Élise takes on as much importance as that of Mathyas. A couple of “realistic idealists” is formed, while the solo evolves into a real duo.
In these finely written roles, Félix-Antoine Duval and Solène Rigot are movingly accurate. The first easily captures Mathyas’s wavering but firm hopes, while the second offers a complementary solar counterpoint. The balance between these two is, like their complicity, perfect.
Lucidity and sensitivity
In the direction, Sophie Deraspe surpasses herself. We knew the director of the films Vital signs et Antigone extremely talented, but what she offers here is simply magnificent. And by magnificent, we don’t mean a succession of postcard images: the filmmaker works at a higher level.
Certainly, visually, Shepherds seduces the eye, especially in the mountains, but the beauty of the planes is never an end in itself: it always has a reason for being, a meaning. For example, a wide shot of a superb Alpine panorama allows us to measure how insignificant humans are there. Later, when a similar shot shows an unleashed nature, we are hyperaware, with the help of the previous shot, of the danger faced by Mathyas and Élise, who are so tiny (in short, whether we mishandle her or kiss her, the nature will always win).
A brilliant filmmaker, Sophie Deraspe manages throughout to maintain this lucid gaze, but sensitive to the ambient splendor.
