What is it about?
May 6, 2012, Solferino. TV journalist Laetitia covers the presidential elections. But Vincent, the ex, shows up to see their daughters. Rampant kids, an overworked babysitter, a vaguely closeted lover, a misanthropic lawyer, a France torn in two: it’s Sunday, everything’s messed up, nothing’s going right!
Almost 10 years after its first release, distributor Shellac has the bright idea of re-releasing The Battle of Solferino, Justin Trietti’s first feature film, to the Palme d’Or this year with Autumn Anatomy.
first work Supports acidThe independent section of the Cannes Film Festival, which was noticed by the film press at the time (5 stars for Les Cahiers du cinéma), but which only enjoyed a modest success in terms of works, was far from the score of Anatomy of the Fall. The film, which, let’s remember, crossed the threshold of millions of participants.
Therefore, this re-release is an opportunity to rediscover this feature film (also available on VOD and DVD if the film is not released in a theater near you), which in retrospect is especially interesting to see the gates of. Anatomy of the Fall is created.
Like La Palma, Solferino’s Struggle somehow mixes the intimate and the public, drawing a parallel here between the family unit and the political unit, setting the film’s plot in the middle of the 2012 presidential runoff.
What the two films have in common is that they question the couple. Although the form they take is different, the theme of the couple’s “fall” is unified and complementary from one film to the next.
The Battle of Solferino is marked by a much more documentary approach, even if Anatomy of the Fall is an ultra-documentary subject at heart (especially through the way the trial unfolds).
As Justin Triet recently noted at a special screening of The Battle of Solferino, this is the film that best exemplifies his transition from documentary to feature.
However, Justin Triet’s first feature film is indeed a fiction, with the genre being “drama”. It constantly oscillates between drama and comedy. There’s a boldness in breaking the tone and a boldness within this first film.
The device at the heart of the film required intensive preparation. “We did a twenty-five hour run one day and part of the night. It was hell because it took eight cinematographers, renting apartments, a ton of authorizations that came in at the last minute.“, the director pointed out in the press conference of the film.
The project was a real risk, as it was necessary to spend the evening of the second round live, without the possibility of restarting and without the result of the vote. “It was a great luxury to have ten thousand extra things“.
For reference, in terms of the number of extras, The Battle of Solferino ranks second only to The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, which has 20,600 extras.
Remember that The Battle of Solferino is also available on VOD and DVD if the film is not released in a theater near you.
Source: Allocine

Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.