L’homme qui voulait vivre sa vie – The Big Picture (2010)

Directed by Eric Lartigau

The nature of identity has been explored in a number of films that have remained my favourites throughout the years: Antonioni‘s The Passenger is perhaps one that always springs to mind.

The treatment of this subject by Lartigau is not in the same vein, (it’s done in the style of a thriller), but it’s central concerns are nonetheless poignant, especially in the time of self-isolation. What is the meaning of life, how should you live your life, what should you live your life for?

Duris is always watchable and gives a lovely performance here. His pairing with Niels Arestrup wonderfully echoes their earlier pairing together in The Beat That My Heart Skipped. I saw Niels in Diplomacy recently, and this film by director Volker Schlöndorff is a must see for those who haven’t caught this amazing two-hander with AndrĂ© Dussollier as yet – it’s an imaginary conversation between General Dietrich von Choltitz and Raoul Nordling, the Swedish ambassador to France in 1944, when Choltitz was under order by Hitler to destroy the city of Paris.

#sbsondemand always giving us the best films! #filmfestivaleveryday #filmoftheday #stayhome

#filmfestivaleveryday #filmoftheday #stayhome