| UNDER THE SAND Director: Francois Ozon "...my other films have kept [characters] at a much greater distance. Here I really stick very closely to Marie....I really wanted to be with her, in a state that felt very much like compassion." From an interview with Francois Ozon from Magic Lantern, inc. Charlotte Rampling gives arguably her best performance as Marie, a woman dealing with the disapperance of her husband. The fiilm is reminiscent of Michaelangelo Antonioni's film L'Avventura, which also deals with a disappearence but, like that film, this one isn't a mystery about whether the missing person will appear again but instead is about the person who has suffered the loss. Marie won't accept the loss but she isn't presented as crazy. Instead she casually goes through her days waiting for his return. At times he does appear in the house. Ozon films these scenes matter-of-factly, letting us know that this is her story and her point-of-view. Director Francois Ozon usually has a kinky edge to his films but here he slows down a bit and directs his most mature work to date. He takes his time developing the character and setting up the story. There is an unhurried quality to the film that is welcome from a director who usually likes to push buttons. His camera graces Ramplings face often and even though she is in mourning the film is never sentimental. - Matt Langdon |