Antigone

Canadian cinema, while of excellent quality, is not well enough known, unfortunately, even in Canada. We, Canadians are reluctant to toot our horn. While I understand modesty, not promoting enough real values is a serious shortcoming.

I am not a skilled review writer and I am afraid I will not do this film justice. But this film touched and awed me so much that, that I could not help it. I had to draw attention to it.

I would rank this film - in terms of depth, execution, impact, thoughtful script, acting - up there with La Strada and Zorba the Greek. It draws you in, it touches you, it leaves you thinking and feeling days and days afterwards. It is an honestly made film. It does not go for shock, easy answers, holier-than-though preaching, or political subtext. (The reviews who see political statements are WRONG.)

it starts with the 25 hundred years old story of Antigone, and, using it as a mold, tells us a story about a refugee family in Quebec. (By the way, do read the synopsis of the Greek tragedy before seeing this film. It gives you needed bearings.)

Hold on here for a moment. The moment the word "refugee" comes up, the sea parts along political lines and entrenched positions. No, they are just a family, and their refugee status does not make them "good" or "bad" or even different from the society around - it is just a backdrop for a millennia-old conundrum: who are we loyal to - the law of the land or the family blood? And how far we are ready to go. Different cultures may see different nuances.

Open your mind, open your heart, and go see this film.

In a Montreal suburb, the title character (Nahéma Ricci) is a teenage immigrant from Algeria living with her grandmother and three siblings. After her family faces a double tragedy, Antigone is determined to help a troubled family member even if this means making a great sacrifice. The film is an updated adaptation of the ancient Greek play by Sophocles.

The beginning sequences are very touching for not only revealing the troubles in the present but also the tragedies faced by the family before moving to Canada. The film's pivotal scene takes place in a prison. While the scene is bizarre to the point of being almost unbelievable, it deserves the benefit of the doubt as it is well orchestrated. To give the film further credit, scenes taking place in courtrooms and prisons have just the right amount of bleakness as they would in real life.

Later sections in the film are mixed, sadly with good intentions that go awry by taking on too much. Many subplots and issues are under-explored leaving an empty feeling by the end. Those that do work include a fascinating plot twist near the end that leaves the main character dumbfounded about her great intentions. Those that are less effective include a social media movement that unintentionally turns Antigone into a star. The sequences are entertaining but there's too little exposure of the origin of this movement. Also, the character of Antigone's boyfriend is so under-developed that he is downright annoying.

"Antigone" seems to have joined "Incindies" (2010) and "Monsieur Lazhar" (2011) to create a new film genre: the experiences of Middle Eastern/North African immigrants of tragic pasts integrating in the Montreal region. The earlier two films are stronger though "Antigone" certainly has its assets including a fiery lead performance by Ricci. - dbamateurcritic.

This is a very powerful movie, but I'm not sure weather or not it is a good movie. It definitely is very thought provoking and leaves you (or prehaps just me) in shock at the end. This interpretation of a greek tragedy places itself in a very heavy political context, which, depending on the people, might make it seems like a very political film (which I also believe). Nevertheless, it asks very important political questions regarding individual duties, submission to law and the state, and even philosophical conceptions of what should be a good life and the integrity of conformism. Though, to me, the movie lacks nuance and finess to the profit of a radical approach that does a good job highlighting the main themes and questions of its plot, but which also makes it a bit too extreme and often clunky.

On a technical level, the movie is well shot, with a very eye pleasing cinematography by Sophie Dersape herself. I'm not as much of a fan of the editing and directing (both also from Deraspe), which can be quite ostentatious and even seem a bit forced from time to time, like she's trying a bit too hard. The music is adequate although not revolutionary.

Ricci's performance is outstanding most of the time. The other actors are also doing a very good job, although it often felt a bit unnatural to me.

It's definitely a good film to see but I would recommend reading a bit about the greek story of Antigone and the Freddy Villanueva affaire to understand the political context in which the movie situates itself, but also in order not to misjudge its reach and overestimate the political subtext.

I saw it as inspired adaptation of the plays, from Sophocle to Anouilh. Precise, moving, provocative, using the fair cinematography and beautiful portrait of the clash between family and law. But, sure, the basic virtue remaind Nehame Ricci performance, reminding, so much,Maria Falconetti in the masterpiece of Carl Theodor Dreyer . A film about immigrants condition.Short, just a beautiful film.

After the screening of Antigone, I was in shock, filled with awe and admiration. How to explain the conviction that I ( and all the audience) we were witnessing the birth of an important piece of art? I think it might be by dissection, by studying its internal parts.

The first main quality of Sophie Deraspe's "Antigone" is the choice of the theme: the author suggests an analyze of the moral of our society. It is a film about integrity in a society where the rules are fixed and should be respected no matter what. Sophie Deraspe's script it is a meditation about our own implication by adopting an unconcerned view about other people's needs. It is very important to notice the mastery of the plot, the suspense created by the rise of hope that Antigone will be liberated. And to understand the scene in the Juv facility when Antigone's indignation is provoked by the way one of the girls is humiliated. I am in awe about how the author used the role of the chorus in a stunning modern vision: young people follow Antigone's statement "Mon Coeur me dit". My heart told me. Yes, it is a film about the importance of what your heart tells you. The moving scenes of Ménacée, the grandmother, singing in front of the facility where Antigone is prisoner, brings us to understand the real meaning of love. But this same love also triggers the climax : when Ménacée, not to leave Polynice alone, decides to go back to her country, Antigone's fight to keep her family together is broken. She is left alone. This replaces Sophocle's play which ends with Antigone's death with the contemporary meaning: alone in a society that rejects her, Antigone is like being dead. This is the way I understand the last shot of Antigone, the end of Sophie's film. The directorial mastery might be explained by one scene: Eteocle's death. The scene is filmed in a large shot, we barely see the cell phone in Eteocle's hand, we hear the gun shot and Polynice's shout. We want to see it again, to understand how it was possible. And that is mastery. The cast is outstanding. Nahema Ricci's performance is a great tribute to the art of acting. But not only Nahema. Every character brings that aesthetic pleasure to dive into a real world: Ménacée ( Rashida Oussada), Ismène, the judge, Haemon and his father. The movie, filmed by Sophie Deraspe (it is difficult to find a position that was not Sophie's direct work) brings the aesthetic of cinematography to a the highest level: I am still haunted by the intensity of the C.U's, the pure beauty of shots and last, but not least, the editing (yes, Sohie's again) not only of the images but also of the sounds. Antigone is an important film in the world's cinema, a film that makes one think and evaluate his/her own choices.