Here is our selection of reviews of auteur films for the week of May 8.
A French historical film, an Iranian documentary and an infernal Japanese time loop… Make your choice.
“One day as a girl” by Jean-Claude Monod (4/5)
With Marie Toscan, Iris Bry…
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It happened under Louis XV, in 1746. Anne Grandjean, 14 years old, became Jean-Baptiste on the good advice of her confessor. This is because the young girl is more excited by women than by men. And Jean-Baptiste married, at the age of 29, a young lady with whom he moved far from their hometown. The ace ! We recognize him/her.
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The denunciation will give rise to a resounding trial, and this authentic story, to a first feature film astonishing in its sense of narrative and its economy of means. Despite an infinitesimal budget, the era is admirably restored, and the film is served by swords: Thibault de Montalembert, André Marcon, Isild Le Besco, François Berléand… and THE revelation: Marie Toscan, as astonishing in her fragility as in her determination. Christophe Carrière
“Like a Monday” by Ryo Takebayashi (3/5)
With Makita Sports, Wan Marui
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Imagine “One Day Without End” in your Open Space. This is the starting point of this saucy Japanese fantasy which, without renewing the time loop genre, gives a rather delightful office version. Of course, Western audiences may bristle at certain typically Japanese elements such as the cult of hierarchy and sleeping in the workplace but there is no doubt that there is material for a potential remake, as we know do it Michel Hazanavicius with “Cut”. And if you like “Like a Monday”, check out “Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes”, more broke but even crazier. Yannick Vely
“My worst enemy” by Mehran Tamadon (3/5)
Between Milgram’s experience and Joshua Oppenheimer’s “The Act of Killing”, this experimental Iranian documentary follows the masochistic project of director Mehran Tamadon, exiled in France. The latter asks three compatriots who underwent ideological interrogations in Iran to “play” torturers in order to show the executioners what they do to the victims. The role-playing is disturbing – with actress Zar Amir Ebrahimi (“Nights of Mashhad”) even openly questioning the merits of such an action. Yannick Vely
