Summary
A film crew struggles to finish their film as personal struggles, relationships, scheduling complications, and crises arise.
A Film for Film Makers
I was looking forward to this film as I worked through France for our Road Trip. He's one of the few classic French directors whose films I had actually seen. Well, I watched one, "The 400 Blows," and it was in film school, but I loved it and was pumped to take my next step into his world.
I had heard that it was a delightful, funny, and heartfelt film and I have to say I agree completely with that sentiment. Many people's view of foreign film is of a black and white, subtitled, and slow film but Truffaut shows how ignorant this view is.
A bright airy laughter filled film is only accented by moments of tragedy as a cadre of filmmakers overcome obstacles, even when those obstacles are themselves, in order to create a work of art. Usually, I'm about 50/50 on movies about movies but this one had me because it was more about the process of film making and why it is so addictive to those who do it.
There is no other craft like it and the relationships you form with the people you do it with are some of the deepest and most trust driven you can experience. I met my co-conspirator on True Myth Media, Seth Steele, on the first feature film we ever worked on and it is a frequent struggle for the loved ones of such addicted artists that they feel like they are competing for love with a movie.
This film shows why that is in a whimsical yet technical way, showing the diversity of roles and personalities one encounters on a production. The number of times I thought to myself as watching this movie, "Oh man, that reminds me of so-and-so," is high. It was a bit of a nostalgia trip making me long for home. My home away from home. My cheap hotels, long hours, stolen moments, and the crescendo of wrapping.
What is there to say about the acting, cinematography, and production design? It's a love letter to film making by a master film maker and his team of film makers. Of course, it is wonderful all 'round. It's failures are the failures of romantic poetry. The heart is on the sleeve and no one is ashamed to say how they feel.
When I finished it, I was torn between wanting to write, wanting to find out if there is a production gearing up, or trying to get my family to watch this film. I landed on recommending it to all of you; my film family and friends. For you to see and understand a piece of my passion for film making and hopefully how it mirrors those things for which you have passion.
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