Un Soleil de Plomb (Review)
© Midnight Tellers
Un Soleil de Plomb
Directed by Gaetan Grabowski
Starring Gaetan Grabowski, Justine Barrier, Jonathan Zimmermann, Antoine Bouley, Jean-Luc Grabowski
Production : Midnight Tellers
Genres : Thriller, Action, Polar
Runtime : 31 minutes
16:9 - Color - Digital
Language : French, Spanish
Country : France
Storyline :
Basque-Country, 1976.
To take revenge, the widow of a terrorist kills a jailor's family. While he's trying to find her, a police detective and a journalist investigate.
The director, Gaetan Grabowski © Midnight Tellers
A thriller set in the 1970s, in Basque Country. A risky bet when choosing the time of story but which turns out rather successful. Indeed, images have a soul, they refer to something outdated. The style of clothing, the hairstyles of the characters as well as the decorations with these flowery wallpapers plunge us directly 50 years ago.
© Midnight Tellers
But not only that. The colors of the film, the yellowish tones, the sepia aspect, accentuate this temporal burst. Here we are. The somewhat grainy image does not suggest otherwise. The direction is rather convincing, as are the very nice camera movements worn to the steady cam that we find several times, creating a sudden closeness between the spectator and the characters. There is a kind of subjectivity taking shape.
© Midnight Tellers
The soundtrack remains quite sober. An atmospheric music that dictates the way the characters come and go and that creates a suspense and a question about what will follow. We can sometimes get lost but we remain attentive. Actors do not overdo it, perhaps not quite enough, but their restraint helps to question their true state of mind and their most cherished wishes. Are they hoodlums or are they good soldiers?
© Midnight Tellers
Spanish, French are mixed, murders too. There’s an Inherent Vice side mixed with Breaking Bad.
Director and lead actor Gaetan Grabowski was very involved in the design of his short film, which was financed with very little budget. His work deserves a look!
By Hallucinea Film Festival
