• The Battle of Gaulle: The Iron Age ⭐⭐
by Antonin Baudry | French film, 2:38 a.m. | Historical drama
In June 1940, the day after the capitulation of France, de Gaulle (Simon Abkarian) appeared alone in London. Initially, the English were skeptical of this man whose only weapon was his strength of conviction. Antonin Baudry traces the journey of the man from June 18 to his daring bets, reaching the territories of Africa and overseas.
Our opinion: Without falling into hagiography, La Bataille de Gaulle, considered one of the most expensive French films in history, is rather convincing in the action scenes, which exude a real epic breath. The filmmaker deliberately chose to knock de Gaulle off his pedestal by bringing him back to this slightly eccentric character, strapped into his uniform and imbued with his high idea of France, presenting himself alone in London. This film highlights relatively little-known episodes from this period of the Second World War.
» READ THE REVIEW: “The Battle of Gaulle: The Iron Age”, a daring and convincing epic
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• The Zanetti Affair ⭐⭐⭐
De Leonardo Di Costanzo | Italian-Suisse film, 1h 45 | Drama
Elisa Zanetti (Barbara Ronchi) has been imprisoned for ten years, she has no memory of the murder for which she was convicted. Renowned criminologist, Professor Alaoui (Roschdy Zem) is conducting a large study based on interviews with inmates. Elisa, who takes part, explains to him that she attended her trial with the feeling of being an outsider: why would she have wanted her sister dead? His exchanges with Professor Alaoui gradually lift the veil on his motives and his actions.
Our opinion: Visually unexpected, this soberly produced film is inspired by experimental Scandinavian and Italian penitentiary locations. The snow and the red outfits of the prisoners contribute to a graphic and offbeat atmosphere which focuses the story on Elisa’s inner journey. With a certain opacity, Barbara Ronchi interprets Elisa and her slow metamorphosis, nourished by the emergence of her memories through flashbacks more focused on the return of the repressed than on the facts. Roschdy Zem, for his part, plays a calm and firm criminologist, attentive and free from moral judgment.
» READ THE REVIEW: “The Zanetti Affair”: Roschdy Zem slips into the head of a criminal
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• The Plague ⭐⭐
by Charlie Polinger | American film, 1h35 | Thriller
In the summer of 2003, 12-year-old Ben (Everett Blunck) arrives at a water polo training center in San Diego. Reserved, he quickly understands that it is Jake (Kayo Martin) who is leading the dance. With his angelic smile, the latter explains the essential rule: do not touch Eli (Kenny Rasmussen), suffering from the plague, or otherwise wash as quickly as possible so as not to be contaminated. Their coach (Joel Edgerton) does not perceive the violence taking place.
Our opinion: Awarded the Grand Prix and the Critics’ Prize at the Deauville festival, this first feature film by Charlie Polinger impresses with its staging. A graphic architecture, beautiful work on sound and music, disturbing to the point of stridency, increase the tension. But the production overuses stylization, the use of certain effects such as slow motion, at the risk of getting stuck in a clinical look, devoid of emotions. The film, however, succeeds in conveying the atmosphere of strangeness, humiliation and cruelty perpetuated by the gang of young people.
» READ THE REVIEW: “The Plague”, by Charlie Polinger: immersion in water polo, between harassment and plague
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• All my sisters ⭐⭐
By Massoud Bakhshi | Iranian film, 1h18 | Documentary
Zahra and Mahya are sisters, only a year apart, and grow up traditionally in a loving middle-class Iranian family. Over the years, the filmmaker invites us to watch them grow without prejudice. He films childhood games, the innocent discovery of the world, the entry into primary school and its corollary, the wearing of the veil, the stories from the Koran delivered by their very pious grandmother, the entry into adolescence or even the questions when the Woman, Life, Freedom movement arises.
Our opinion: With this film, Massoud Bakhshi returns to his favorite form, a montage of images of his nieces shot from 2007 to 2025, from their early childhood to their entry into university. He provides a rare testimony of what it is like to grow up in Tehran today as girls. By filming them in their privacy, the filmmaker invites us to wonder with him about their future in today’s Iranian society.
» READ THE REVIEW: “All my sisters”: a documentary witnessing the condition of young girls in Iran
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⚫No! ⭐Why not ⭐⭐Good film ⭐⭐⭐Very good film ⭐⭐⭐⭐Masterpiece
