La veuve saverini

Stunningly shot in the beautifully dramatic overcast exteriors of Corsica. Very assured direction & phenomenal command of the film language - at 19mins with zero lines spoken the film keeps up its pace and never bores. The protagonist is so well cast, her face alone tells a story. However, there's something hollow at its center for me. This is supposed to be a deeply emotional story about loss, vengeance, and guilt And yet I never seemed to feel any real emotion watching it. I knew what was happening, I knew there was supposed to be sadness and anger and anguish...and yet I seemed to kind of just enjoy the aesthetics while not being moved by the fomulaic plot & never feeling for the protagonist. In this regard, it felt like a - craft-wise magnificently executed - school exercise. There seemed to be a lack of urgent emotional authenticity from the - doubtlessly talented - creator.