Le bois dont les rêves sont faits

A precious documentary film which takes us into the secrets of the Bois de Vincennes in Paris, or more precisely the people who live there or go there daily. No big lecturing here, Claire Simon strives to talk to the people who inhabit the woods and discover their motivations. We don't see the director on screen but we hear her conversations with the protagonists. This constitutes a remarkable work of memory and urban exploration.

That said, I was still quite bored throughout the film. Partly because I am not sensitive to the charms of nature, I have therefore stayed a little away from the fascination that the place exerts on some. But also because the film is simply made up of a series of scenes devoid of any narrative thread. It is certainly not easy to find a narrative framework when you make a documentary, but it is really necessary if you want to maintain the viewer's interest.

If you have already strolled along the beautiful paths of the Parisian Bois de Vincennes, you may have missed it all. French documentary director Claire Simon digs deep into the dark woods to meet those who have turned their backs on life as we know it, and the others. Prostitutes, castaways, refugees from dictatorial governments, or a simple young mother, this films shows us people and explores their link to this natural setting, just a few yards away from the noise of the big city. Why would you want to live in a forest in sometimes dire conditions ? Freedom ? Necessity ? Whether it is to party, to cycle, to run, to hunt, to make love, each one has a good reason to come here. This beautiful and emotional film is a portrait of humanity as a whole. It is delicate and rich. Don't miss it.