Thomas Lilti, former doctor and filmmaker for several years, continues to talk to us about the more or less known aspects of modern medicine. After Country Doctor in 2016, the director returns in September for his next film First Year. After mentioning the difficulties of access to care in rural areas, he now tackles the theme of the difficult first year of medicine that fascinates as much as terrifies thousands of ambitious young students.
Antoine and Benjamin began their first year of medical school. While the first passes his third year and the second is a student not very studious, they will try everything to reach the end of this most difficult year where their friendship could be tested.
After the Contest which revealed the underside of the contest of the Fémis, we are here immersed in a universe certainly familiar but where the codes are totally different.
Very inspired by the director's own experience, Première Année also allows itself to surprise by presenting interesting and complete characters in a universe without any rancour. It is essential to highlight the characters because they are really the centerpiece of this film.
Strong characters in a monster lab
If it is so important to talk about the characters of Benjamin and Antoine, it is because before completing each other, they are complete. Perfectly presented and constructed, it is a real pleasure to follow them in their revisions, their galleys and sometimes their failures.
Even if Benjamin, played by William Lebghil, is really strong, interesting and above all very endearing, it is really Vincent Lacoste who bursts the screen by gradually becoming an uncontrollable monster. Medicine is Dr. Frankenstein and the character of Antony gradually becomes his monster. These two characters are really strong but they are obviously not alone! But the complicity between the two actors is crazy! We feel close and invested each in this powerful friendship! The duo works wonderfully and makes us even more in love with these two young actors who burst the screen year after year.
Little by little, we get to know their entourage and especially their families. The latter who exert more or less strong pressure but who are always there, behind the backs of the characters. Nevertheless, we also meet Benjamin's neighbor. The only character really little treated, we remain on our hunger for his relationship with the protagonists.Apart from this slight detail, the characters are endearing and very well written! We get attached to them and when the end of the film approaches, we can only be eager to know if they will succeed.
But the setting also plays in this film which sometimes approaches horror with the character of Antoine who is really incredible. It is this universe of competition, of total competition that also builds the characters to the point of no return. A universe so well transcribed that the stress is palpable throughout the film. Stress and panic set in when the students settled in the huge competition rooms (images that were filmed during and after the competitions to skillfully mix fiction and reality).It is useless to talk more about this relationship at the risk of spoiling the film but know that you will necessarily be very attached to these protagonists.
A "romantic" film according to Thomas Lilti.
At the premiere, Thomas Lilti told us several times: "My film is a romantic film. ». Speaking of Benjamin's relationship with his neighbor or the somewhat predictable ending, the film is indeed very romantic and not very rooted in reality. But, even if it may annoy some viewers, the director did not hesitate to affirm his willingness to share the message he wanted to convey without worrying about the rest. And this could not be more commendable in an era where the role of certain producers sometimes limits the freedom of expression of directors.
However, one can also admire Thomas Lilti's extremely intelligent staging. In addition to offering us beautiful shots (like the one visible at the top of this article), he uses a camera on the shoulder during several scenes including the one where the characters pass the contests. This may seem like a detail but the immersion is increased tenfold and the impression of passing the competition with them is growing as is our stress!This hand-held camera is used intelligently throughout the film and this is a real positive point for this film that is difficult to get rid of after the session.
Finally, this brutal teaching, this monster factory is a high quality setting and immersing yourself in it is a pleasure, a discovery. Thomas Lilti succeeds in making a strong, powerful and true film about the first year of medicine, about this violent, brutal and merciless universe where the solidarity of these two friends is the only solution not to crack.
Première Année comes out on September 12 but will certainly be talked about in September. Based on personal experience (mixed with fiction of course), it will give a picture close to reality of what awaits courageous first-year medical students. In short, Première Année is a continuation of Thomas Lilti's filmography but this time, it may well be that medicine is more brutal than soft.
