Gagarine

Absolutely stunning cinematography! The first-time directors do an amazing job of making the most out of beautiful shots, quiet and sincere conversations, and the character's hope for something more from our species. There are many moving moments between the characters and so much is developed from this small and beautiful story. I really feel like there is something different and special about this captivating movie.

Great cinematography and heartfelt characters. A dream-like quality throughout with complex characters relationships and an overall uplifting experience.

Debutant writer-directors Fanny Liatard and Jérémy Trouilh's 2020 film is something of a mixed bag, but has moments of great beauty (wonder, even). I don't recall (off the top of my head) seeing a film which focuses on the impending demolition of a set of the titular tower blocks (here in a Parisian 'banlieu'), but the filmmakers provide a warts and all account of the varying views of its, predominantly multi-cultural immigrant, residents. The film's most intriguing thread centres on the history of the Gagarine name, based on the Soviet cosmonaut, Yuri Gagarin, who (as the film's documentary clip shows) visited the location to 'celebrate' its naming after him. This history has captured the imagination of Alséni Bathily's 'reluctant vacator', Youri, who has also (perhaps fancifully, but just go with it) tried to recreate (inspired by a TV documentary on the subject, which he continually watches) Gagarin's Vostok capsule in his own apartment!

Whilst the narrative of Gagarine is (being generous!) episodic, the film's 'magic realist' content (or sense of wonderment, if you prefer) slowly but surely, at least partly, got under this viewer's skin. As Youri's need for a 'sense of home' for Gagarine (exacerbated by his being estranged from his mother) is seemingly a near-unique concern, and despite Youri's attempts to 'renovate' elements of the building, it becomes clear (as the authorities decree) that he is fighting a lost cause. Youri finds some solace via a developing relationship with Lyna Khoudri's fellow resident and Roma, Diana, but even this appears to be temporary. Throughout, the film-makers give us some hypnotic sequences - including an eclipse of the sun and Diana's inventive use of morse code - which are enhanced by the film's visuals and its score by Evgueni and Sacha Galperine. As the film heads towards its denouement (with tension building as to whether Youri has evacuated the building), the film-makers up the magic realist content and give us a quite brilliant conclusion (which merits an additional star on its own).

In terms of 'genre', comparators might be taken to include films like La Haine and Girlhood or, from a UK perspective, Mike Leigh's Meantime. Closer to Gagarine, though, is something with a more magic realist feel, like Lynne Ramsay's brilliant Ratcatcher. Suffice to say, particularly in the scheme of most films you're likely to see at the local multiplex(!), Gagarine retains a welcome degree of distinction.

Posed as a kind of magical realism, the adaptation of the short film "Gagarine" (2015) manages to broaden the vital horizon of the protagonist, although it does not reach a greater depth. The representation of poverty through the protagonist's dreams causes the visual aspect to opt in the last part for the fantasy embedded in a painful reality. In this sense, the directing work is remarkable, but it does not manage to solve the narrative dispersion.

Gagarine is beautiful, and one of the most underrated films I've seen in a long time (I mean why is no one talking about this). Not to mention the hassle it was to get my hands on it (I'll save you the story). But anyways, beautiful. The cinematography was absolutely superb, though in a way it stylistically reminded me more of still photography, but a good way. The color grading was also amazing, making even the rundown apartments of Gagarine look rich and vibrant, this in tandem with its rather long and narrow aspect ratio leads to a unique visual style. Gagarine's storytelling prowess is also not to be underestimated, its tale of a young man fighting a desperate battle to save everything he loves is moving. The way it leaves off often overused themes of doom and gloom when it comes to poverty, for the oft overlooked ones of resilience and community is refreshing. And the acting and relational chemistry between the two leads is great as well.