2 Autumns, 3 Winters DVD Review
2 Autumns, 3 Winters is a charming, quirky
slice of
independent cinema made in France. The story revolves around the 33
year old Arman
(Vincent Macaigne), who decides he wants to discover something new in
his life.
After working a nameless job (which the film notes is inconsequential
to the
story), Arman needs someone special in his life. His life lacks the
romantic side
he so desires and needs.
Arman decides
to start up jogging again. On the experience of his first jog out
(after an
extended break from his exercising) he meets the charming girl
Amélie (Maud
Wyler), 27 years old, who is also seeking something new to experience
in her
own life. The two exchange a few words and then part ways. Will they
ever meet
again? No effort was made to exchange their numbers or plan ahead. As
it turns
out, they don't meet for several months, but as the story unfolds it's
becomes
increasingly clear that they will meet again before story's end.
Arman's best friend is Benjamin (Bastien
Bouillon), who we
learn attended film school with Armin. He made odd short films and
experimental
works but didn't get far in art school. He eventually decided to pursue
something else. Upon one of his casual day-out strolls, he has
something
surprising strike him: a stroke. Even though he is young, the stroke
comes on
so suddenly that is shocks him and he loses his ability to control
himself.
Lying on the ground, alone, Benjamin is without any way to seek help. A
stranger trips over him on the street and helps to get him to an
Emergency
room, where Benjamin faces a long road to recovery and is surprised to
meet and
fall in love with his rehabilitator, a girl named Katia (Audrey
Bastien).
Though the event was harsh and difficult, Benjamin also begins to find
love in
life to cherish with welcome arms.
As the film explores these characters and their
relationships (with more attention given to Armin and Amélie, as
the
protagonists) it becomes clear that what started off as a seemingly
conventional
romantic comedy told in a independent style is actually a serious
rumination on relationships between people and the experiences (both
the good and the bad) that
partners can share with one another as they try to make sense of their
relationships: both for themselves and in relation to each other.
Writer/Director Sébastien
Betbeder
gives the film an intimate style with an approach that allows for
beautiful
cinematography (exquisitely photographed by Sylvain Verdet). The
handheld
high-def photography is intermittently meshed with 16mm photography; a
throwback to the French New Wave that clearly inspired some aspects of
the
film. Those jazzy free-spirited films have played a great part in
cinema history
on the whole, and it's wonderful to see a modern French film produced
which is
so clearly wearing it's love of Truffaut, Godard, and other New Wave
masters on
its sleeve.
As the viewer follows the
storyline of 2
Autumns, 3 Winters the characters often
break from the
narrative plot in solemn moments of expression in which these
characters speak
directly to the audience about their lives, their feelings, and
ultimately of
the relationships they hold with the other characters in the film. This
aspect
gives 2 Autumns, 3 Winters a poetic style which feels
fiercely
independent: it helps the narrative excel with emphasis on character
and
specifically upon the drama inherent to the characters portrayed within
the
framework of the story.
Sébastien Betbeder
has by effect
made the film feel personal, regardless of whether or not the bulk of
the story
inspiration sprang from real-events or experiences. As a visual
storyteller, Betbeder
is someone with a keen sense of place: he seems to fundamentally
understand how
to create these cinematic feelings of warmth which can occur through
how
characters correspond to the locale. Visual cues, from emphasis on
eyes, to
human gestures helps to make the film more effective in its story of
the ups
and downs of the romance between Armin and Amélie.
Combined with a fine score
by
first-time composer Bertrand Betsch, 2 Autumns, 3 Winters
excels because
of its fine understanding of filmmaking. Even if the story told is one
that has
been heard before in a variety of forms (again and again throughout
cinema),
here is a filmmaker and crew who know how to bring a new spin to the
table for
a familiar concept and provide adequate originality for the procession.
This is
an exceptional debut by Sébastien
Betbeder, which promises
more great things to come from the filmmaker in the future. Fans of
art-house
cinematic outings and romantic dramas should consider exploring this
thoughtful
work.
The DVD:
Video:
Filmed with both Super 16mm film
stock and utilizing a state-of-the-art
Red Epic camera, this film looks splendid on DVD. For the majority of
the
presentation, the look is clean, clear, and dynamic in a way that
shines
triumphantly. Color reproduction is excellent and immersive to behold.
Red Epic
cameras are truly outstanding achievements in the filmmaking world and
a production
utilizing one while also maintaining (one presumes) a relatively
shoestring
budget astounds. It gives hope to aspiring filmmakers -- and has
yielded
amazing results already, that such an incredible option exists in the
filmmaking world. (Of no direct relation to this PQ of this release,
but I knew
I was in love with Red cameras after seeing the impeccable
cinematography of
Soderbergh's Contagion).
Director Sébastien Betbeder was
remarkably smart to make his film this way and the end result is
satisfying. The
16mm portions give the film a throwback look that reminds one of
classic French
new wave and the Red Epic portions give a sharp sheen that does wonders
to the
presentation. As to the DVD presentation, as per the norm, Film
Movement gives
an impressive presentation (for the most part). Daylight scenes look
remarkably
sharp and clear and are highly impressive. Some nighttime sequences
suffer
somewhat from minor compression artifacts, which is unfortunate to
discover, but
mostly the DVD looks nice and will satisfy viewers.
Audio:
Presented in French with English
subtitles, the Dolby Digital 2.0 audio
isn't anything remarkable, per se, but it sounds pleasant enough
throughout with
good dialogue reproduction and the music sounds okay during the film. I
generally found it to be a serviceable and effective presentation for
the
experience and I doubt most viewers will find fault with the mix.
Extras:
Film Movement
includes a monthly short film (as per the norm). This month's selection
is the
French short Voyage D'Affaires (from
director Sean Ellis). The short this
month isn't all that impressive, but is a brief oddity about a man who
finds
something in his hotel room which is ultimately the cause of a personal
question and awkward phone call. Viewers might find it a amusing piece,
but I
wasn't that impressed.
The release also
includes biographies related to those who worked on 2 Autumns, 3
Winters
and trailers promoting other Film Movement releases. There is
also a
note on why Film Movement selected the film and a statement from
director Sébastien Betbeder.
Final Thoughts:
2 Autumns, 3 Winters is a surprising film.
At first
glance it mostly seems to be a spin on being a romantic comedy but it's
a lot
different than one might expect going in. The flow of the story is
unique and
the style employed (which involves many sequences with the characters
speaking
to the audience) is impressive and personal. It helps the film to stand
out. The
actors do excellent work here and first-time feature-film director Sébastien Betbeder has made an
excellent debut. Fans of
independent cinema and quirky dramas are encouraged to check out 2
Autumns,
3 Winters, which (as the title implies) takes place over the course
of that
span of time.
Recommended.
Neil Lumbard is a lifelong fan of cinema. He aspires to make movies and has written two screenplays on spec. He loves writing, and currently does in Texas.