Les fragments d'Antonin

There were plenty of movies about WW1 in France .It really began with Gance's first version of "J'accuse" (1917-1918).The thirties movies were harsh depictions (" Les Croix de Bois") and it took Stanley Kubrik to show the horrors of the French army killing their own men as a deterrent for others ("Antonin" features such a scene).The "after the war" subject really began with Tavernier's remarkable "La Vie Et Rien d'Autre" and continued with such works as "La Chambre des Officiers".

"Les Fragments D'Antonin " tackled a subject which almost remained absent to this day.It is,in a certain way,some kind of sequel to "La Chambre Des Officiers" or 'Johnny Got His Gun" ; it tells the story of a soldier whose psyche was shot after all he had been through:Gregori Dérangère gives a stunning performance and the movie owes a lot to him,because the editing is not always convincing and sometimes fails to build a dramatic progression.The last picture is marvelous and the smile upon his face is a hope for the future ,maybe the promise that the black birds in his sky will be replaced by pigeons ...or doves.