Le premier homme (2011)

Le premier homme: Directed by Gianni Amelio. With Michel Crémadès, Jacques Gamblin, Mickaël Batret, Jean Benoit Souilh. The first man is an adaptation of the unfinished autobiographical novel “Le Premier Homme” by the french writer Albert Camus. It tells the story of Jacques Cormery and his childhood in Algeria.

“Based on an autobiographical book by Albert Camus, u0026quot;Le Premier Hommeu0026quot; film follows Jean Cormery (Jacques Gamblin) the alter ego of the famed philosopher and journalist, on his return to Algeria in the late 1950s. He is back to visit his mother (Catherine Sola) to whom he is attached, reconnect with his past and trace stories of his father.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe film is relayed in the past and present. We visit the writeru0026#39;s tender childhood through flashbacks, while the present carries the struggles of a man torn between the warmth of the Algerian sun, the weight of the colonialism stamp as pied-noir and the bitter relations between both continents.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe mother and son conversations are some of the powerful scenes in u0026quot;Le Premier Hommeu0026quot;. She is overwhelmingly proud of what her son has become; he worries about her living alone in her advancing years. It is a unique bond, often charming in its silences. One canu0026#39;t be indifferent to the magnificent performances by both Gamblin and Sola.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThen comes the Algerian land that Cormery insists on visiting, triggering his vivid reminiscence of childhood. We are shown how this young boy with innocent features showed, at a very early age, a remarkable gift for perception while excelling in his academic performances. This combination will define him as an adult as he tries to fight the effects of colonialism and pays a price for taking a stand on the dilemma.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eu0026quot;Le Premier Hommeu0026quot; is adapted from the book with the same name, which was discovered after the tragic death of Camus in a car accident. The unfinished manuscript was published intact with Camusu0026#39; notes and mistakes years later. The incomplete autobiography combines the passions inherited from his Algerian birthplace with the probing intellect of a revolutionary existentialistic and genuine thinker. Camusu0026#39;s words are translated into images allowing us to follow the development of his on-screen persona. The omnipresence of the sun and sea captures the hospitality of the Algerian landscape as heu0026#39;s always described it.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eWinner of the Prize of the International Critics for Special Presentation at the Toronto Film Festival 2011, u0026quot;Le Premier Hommeu0026quot; manages to stay loyal to Camusu0026#39; spirit. As co-producer Bruno Pésery explained at the Dubai International Film Festival last year, the filmmakers filled the narrative gaps of the incomplete book using archival pictures and letters of the author, with the collaboration of Camusu0026#39;s daughter.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eWhen I first learnt about this film at DIFF, I approached the screening with feelings of fear and excitement. The writings of Camus shaped my early thoughts. Fortunately, the film keeps the integrity of his beautiful descriptions intact: the cinematography, focusing on sunny panoramas and warm-colored flashbacks, offers an authentic view of Algeria.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThis is no surprise as Italian director Gianni Amelio, winner of Canneu0026#39;s Grand Jury Award for his 1992 feature u0026quot;The Stolen Childrenu0026quot; has combined his interest in philosophy with a sympathy for Camusu0026#39; upbringing; both were raised by their mothers and grandmothers and deeply affected by the absence of paternal figures. The results make for a meticulously crafted and emotional film. Fans of Camus will find u0026quot;Le Premier Hommeu0026quot; both cathartic and heart-warming.”