Francofonia ***½ (2015, Louis-Do de Lencquesaing, Benjamin Utzerath, Vincent Nemeth, Johanna Korthals Altes, Aleksandr Sokurov) – Movie Review

Russian writer-director Aleksandr Sokurov’s self-consciously eccentric 2015 mix of documentary and drama is provocative and fascinating. Sometimes, it is well worth trying something out of your usual comfort zone.

Sokurov fills the screen with some great ideas and footage as he tells the history of the Louvre Museum in Paris during the Nazi occupation and ponders on the meaning and timelessness of art, as well as the ravages of history.

It is as far from a conventional feature as possible, and you need to stay alert for Francofonia as Sokurov switches back and forth from the present day to the Nazi era and to the time of Napoléon Bonaparte (Vincent Nemeth).

An engrossing, compelling, rich and strange experience, it is quite the history and art lesson. Sokurov appears as a character. History turns out not to be very happy, as Sokurov reminds us of the millions of people who were wiped out in the centuries’ wars, Russia suffering very badly. Art treasures were saved but people died.

© Derek Winnert 2016 Movie Review

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com