Presented this year during the Critics' Week in Cannes, Apnée is the first film directed by Jean-Christophe Meurisse, director of the Dogs of Navarre troupe. He presents a work rooted in the years 2015-2016, centered around its protagonists, a trouple (ménage à trois) wishing to get married. Surprising and very promising.
In Search of Happiness
Apnea is a film that speaks of our time. A film without a script, based on a sequence, which is not based on narrative but built around characters, "figures" prefers to say Céline Fuhrer, the main actress. And she is right: these three people have, to our knowledge, neither past nor background. They are simply there, they evolve in the present. "The future is dead, the present is eternity. " says one of them.
They could be anyone and everyone. Because that's what they want to be, just like everyone else. Or not wait, maybe not. In fact they do not know very well. They just want to be happy. Do you have to be like everyone else to be happy? Lead a "normal" life? What is happiness? So many questions that the trio asks, without providing answers. These marginals without being are looking for their place in society. Psychology has no place in the film: these falsely naïve individuals live in the present and question reality. They question everything. Annoying sometimes, always funny, they win our benevolence. The actors, mostly members of the Dogs of Navarre, are amazing: without dialogue, they had to improvise their scenes, some having been more framed than others. This gives the film a spontaneity and freshness of the most pleasant.
A barge comedy but full of spirit
Humour is omnipresent, even when it comes to evoking violent, sad or controversial subjects. The film evokes various subjects that affect us more or less, such as the family, the couple, the relationship with institutions or the amount of rent in Paris. It is an observation of the world that he wants to give, most of the time without judgment. Ideas are offered to us, free of interpretation. Our zygomatics work a lot. The film plays on the codes, pushing the scenes to the point of absurdity, and we ask for more. The director is not afraid of anything: to free Christ, to place an ostrich in a supermarket, to stick the guest of an evening to the ceiling…
However, some scenes would have benefited from being shortened or condensed, because the dynamic runs out of steam somewhat towards the end. Nevertheless, the beautiful staging (as during the sublime ice skating sequence), the poetry that emerges and the talent of its actors compensate for this drop in pace. The soundtrack is well chosen. Between universal titles and music of our time, this one perfectly orchestrates the different scenes. Special mention to the thunderous opening scene against a background of Vivaldi.
Despite the small flaws of a first film, the work of Jean-Christophe Meurisse is a vitaminized and refreshing candy. Burlesque, crazy and free… Apnea is a very nice surprise that we can only advise you to go and discover.
Thank you to the Ferme du Buisson for its welcome and the organization of this meeting.
