NYFF 09: White Material

NYFF MAIN SLATE

White Material - Claire Denis, 2009, France, 100m

Screens: 10/9/09 9:15pm and 10/10/09 6:00pm

An intense and harsh look at lives coming into conflict with an unnamed African Civil War, Claire Denis has created a emotional, visceral film in White Material.  In the film Isabelle Huppert plays a coffee planter who finds herself having to decide to take the safe route and leave or stay and try to finish out that season's crop with her son and his father.

At the same time a rebel leader (played by Isaach De Bankole) is hiding out in her house as he is sought out by opposing forces.  The film takes place over a two day period and on the moment to moment existence of a people and land in trouble.

The tension is subtle and builds in a way that allows you to really examine the non-judgemental world that Denis presents.  In no way is she telling you what she thinks, instead she plops in the middle of a world and lets you draw your own conclusions.   For me this is always a more powerful way to present a problematic world. All too often when an opinion is forced down my throat I just stop thinking about the problems.  When I have the ability to spend time in a place and think, I always feel like I learn more.

The film itself is beautifully shot and is slightly elliptical in its editing, although not as much as earlier films by Denis.  The performances are also amazing, especially from Huppert and De Bankole.  She brings a raw physically and vulnerability and he bring a quiet sense of struggle.   Together they seem to define a land in crisis at the most present moment.  It's an important film, it's one you experience.