French Film Festival — A–Z of films

Alpha exists in the intersection of the probable and the parable.

It’s the sort of sweet-natured fable that makes adults nostalgic for childhood, but both the near and far futures it presents are, to children themselves, already likely to seem out of date.

There’s a fairy-tale element to this – and once the famous names start to be introduced, including Sarah Bernhardt, it becomes obvious it’s no history lesson – but that suits the crowdpleasing material well.

The creepy big brother aspect of the film pervades everything.

The film makes no attempt to disguise its theatrical origins.

Perez manages the set-piece confrontations with precision and a nail-biting suspense.

Yet Pohu’s performance sums up all the conflicted feelings, desires and anxieties of someone at the crossroads of entering adulthood.

Much of the cinematic language that is used in crime, action and spy films today has its origin in these silent films.

What it does do well is to highlight the economic and political interests driving the pretence of moral authority as an instrument of power.

An absorbing account.

As a study in psychopathic single-mindedness, its sickness is its strength.

The narrative bowls along from one set piece-chanson to another.

Too much and over the top, the film nevertheless finds its rhythm.

The screenplay is packed with absorbing detail.

Guillaume Marbeck as Godard is pitch perfect, trademark dark glasses and tobacco smoke his indispensable props with even the voice uncannily resonant of the man himself.

Ambrosioni extracts lived-in performances from Cottin and the whole cast which lifts what could have been a straight-forward drama into a profound and moving portrait of families and motherhood.

Max Keegan’s documentary sings a beguiling pastoral song, but has keen powers of observation.

The film looks amazing, but it sounds even more incredible.

Ozon remains faithful to the source and keeps its sense of mystery but has strengthened the female characters

The Belgian filmmaker quickly proves to be a director who is quite nimble with a feint in his own terms, so that when his punches come they often hit in unexpected places.

Better in its subtler moments, when it explores not just the difference between what is being filmed and reality by the fictions the characters are also inventing for themselves, the film is made compelling by its own immaculate casting.