Some cinematic experiences are difficult to grasp, or even to define, such as Pacifiction: Torment on the Islands, by Spanish filmmaker Albert Serra. The film, which stars Benoît Magimel in the title role, was awarded the César for best actor and best picture.
Shot in Tahiti, the feature follows the High Commissioner of the Republic, De Roller, played by Magimel, who represents the French state in French Polynesia. When rumors of renewed French nuclear testing in the region arise, he sets out to investigate whether the rumors are true.
Despite this synopsis, which is held throughout the film, this is not at all what interests Pacifiction. The content is not nearly as important as the form, and what a form! The (very) long film is a 2h45 stroll in a dreamy Tahitian setting. The atmosphere is timeless, the film could come straight out of the 1960s. Its scenario launches a lot of reflections, but one feels that it is not really that which interests the director the most, so much the form is particularly bewitching. The scenes are slow, haunting, but never boring, and to summarize Pacifiction by its synopsis would do it a disservice.
It is a demanding, sometimes trying experience, and it might leave many viewers on the sidelines, but those who are touched by the film will experience a moment of cinema like they have rarely experienced.
November 2023 cinema releases: list of films in theatres and opening times near you
Lovers of the 7th art have a lot to look forward to! And with good reason: the editors have unveiled the cinema releases for November 2023, and the program is as varied as ever. So much to discover for the whole family. Enjoy the show! [Read more]
Average duration
2 h
45 min
November 2023 cinema releases: list of films in theatres and opening times near you
