16 October 2026
MINOTAUR ***1/2 (vo Russian)
A married couple and their son are the cream of the crop of Russian society. They have a state-of-the-art home, and the husband runs a successful firm, though many of his male employees are leaving because of fears about the war in Ukraine. His beautiful wife finds her married life increasingly stifling. She takes a young lover, and her husband becomes suspicious.
The power of this film, by Russian dissident director Andrey Zvyagintsez – a Cannes favourite and winner of the year’s Grand Prix Award for this film – lies in the slow realisation that this is not only a romantic noir thriller, but also a film about the quiet corruption of the Russian elite, who must endure the government’s edicts. There is the survival of the husband’s company, the infidelity of his wife, and the list of 150 employees he must supply for recruitment into the ongoing war. It is a devastating moment in his life that he must resolve and bring under control.
The discreet unfolding of these diverse events has the steady hand of Zvyagintsev, which he has shown in his previous works, such as “Leviathan” and “Loveless”, both major award-winners at various festivals. This darkly sublime work has been chosen as France’s selection for Best Foreign Film at the Oscars. A bit of a surprise and an outrage to some, given that, despite its excellence, it is a completely Russian film, albeit French-produced, and that there were actual French films deserving of selection, such as Antonin Baudry’s exceptional two-part historical saga, “DE GAULLE”. But such is life.
LES MISÉRABLES **1/2 (vo French)
There have been many adaptations of classic works of literature, such as the novels of Jane Austen or “Wuthering Heights” by Emily Brontë, some of which probably make the original authors – as with Victor Hugo here – start twirling in their graves. There have been about 30 adaptations of this grand 1862 classic, including screen versions and theatrical musicals. Some are mediocre, others outstanding in their ability to retain the passion and purity of the original.
Two of the most remarkable French screen adaptations were the 1958 version, with Jean Gabin as Jean Valjean, the tragic hero of the tale, and the 1982 one, with Lino Ventura as Valjean. Last year’s film by Éric Bernard, “Jean Valjean”, featuring a superb Grégory Gadebois, was personal, minimalist and powerful.
The hugely popular musical based on this massive tale was created in 1980 by the French Alain Boubil and Claude-Michel Schönberg, then adapted into the English version by Trevor Nunn and John Caird in 1985. It is still running in London and touring around the world. A 2012 screen version of the musical, with Hugh Jackman as Valjean and Russell Crowe as his tormentor, Javert, won 3 Oscars.
This latest adaptation, directed by Fred Cavayé, decides to go off on some new angles about the various famous characters of the story, taking away the depth and strength of this great tragedy about a man hunted down all his life for stealing a loaf of bread for his starving family. Despite a strong cast (Vincent Lindon, Tahar Rahim, Camille Cottin) and striking cinematography, it ends up feeling like a melodramatic soap opera. Maybe it’s beneficial for those who have not read the book.
NI VUE, NI CONNUE ** (vo French)
Despite the presence and talent of two top French actresses – Isabelle Huppert and Sandrine Kiberlain – this is a case of ‘much ado about nothing’.
The story of a mere extra (Huppert) working in various French films and her desperate friendship with her star idol Kiberlain, played by Kiberlain herself, feels like a segment of a TV series, filled with girlie gossip and unfulfilled ambitions. This could have been a modern “All About Eve” – the brilliant 1950 Oscar-winning film starring Bette Davis, Ann Baxter and a very young Marilyn Monroe – exploring the hunger for success and the back-stabbing that goes with a career in show business.
Instead it feels like a lot of banalities about lost opportunities and the unfairness of the entertainment world. There is a triteness about it that makes it repetitive and boring. Dommage.
Superb **** Very Good *** Good ** Mediocre * Miserable – no stars
By Neptune
Neptune Ravar Ingwersen reviews film extensively for publications in Switzerland. She views 4 to 8 films a week and her aim is to sort the wheat from the chaff for readers.
For more stories like this on Switzerland follow us on Facebook and X.
Leave a Reply