Cinema: Our selection of three films currently in theaters
MERMAID
Presented in mid-June at the Annecy Festival in the official selection, this animated feature film directed by Sepideh Farsi takes us to the south of Iran. Here we are in 1980, at a time when the inhabitants of the martyr city of Abadan are resisting the Iraqi siege. While his mother and younger siblings leave the country, 14-year-old Omid chooses to stay with his grandfather, awaiting the return of his older brother from the front. The rest of the story is a splendid tale of resistance, imbued with humanity and hope. The filmmaker’s approach nourishes a collective memory in the process of being developed since the Iran-Iraq conflict, one of the deadliest of the second half of the 20th century, also remains one of the least documented to date. Beautiful graphics, breathtaking rhythm and depth of subject: this feature film intended for over 14s is a gem. Our opinion: PPP
TOWARDS A BRIGHT FUTURE
Giovanni, a renowned Italian filmmaker (played by Nanni Moretti) finds that nothing is going right in his life. Her marriage is in crisis. Her daughter is breaking away from the family nest. Its producer does not have a penny. The communist utopia of his youth no longer has the wind in its sails. And to top it off, the film industry is giving in to conformism under pressure from distribution platforms. How to continue to live, despite the end of collective and personal ideals? The director offers a few leads in this bittersweet comedy, presented in the official selection at the last Cannes Film Festival. A feature film imbued with nostalgia which could well be a farewell to cinema on the part of the whimsical Italian filmmaker. Our opinion: PP
INDIANA JONES AND THE DESTINY DIAL
In this fifth installment, Harrison Ford embodies – for the last time – the legendary archaeologist. Its screening at Cannes on May 18 was an opportunity to pay a vibrant tribute to the 80-year-old actor for his entire career. Launched in a race against the clock to get his hands on the famous Archimedes dial, the adventurer with the hat and the lasso has lost none of his brilliance. At his side, the character of Helena (Phoebe Waller-Bridge) embodies one of the new faces of the franchise. Cheeky, playful and reckless, she poses as a convincing female alter ego of Indy. Like the previous installments since 1981, this one is beautifully set to music by John Williams. A beautiful adventure film, living up to its reputation. Our opinion: PPP
