Le Havre (2011) by Aki Kaurismäki
Surreal immigration fable full of charm, deadpan wit and warm-hearted characters.
The Criterion Collection via MUBI:
In this warmhearted portrait of the French harbor city that gives the film its name, fate throws young African refugee Idrissa (Blondin Miguel) into the path of Marcel Marx (André Wilms), a well-spoken bohemian who works as a shoeshiner. With innate optimism and the unwavering support of his community, Marcel stands up to officials doggedly pursuing the boy for deportation. A political fairy tale that exists somewhere between the reality of contemporary France and the classic cinema of Jean-Pierre Melville and Marcel Carné, Le Havre is a charming, deadpan delight.
Kaurismäki had the idea of a film about an African child who arrives in Europe three years before the production started. His original intention was to set the story on the Mediterranean coast, preferably in Italy or Spain, but he had difficulties finding a suitable city. According to Kaurismäki, he “drove through the whole seafront from Genoa to Holland”, and eventually settled on Le Havre in northern France, which attracted him with its atmosphere and music scene.
Kaurismäki envisions Le Havre as the first installment in a trilogy about life in port cities. His ambition is to make follow-ups set in Spain and Germany, shot in the local languages.
Sidenote: Le Havre was shown at the at the Cannes Film Festival this year and the dog Laika received a special Jury Prize from the Palm Dog jury.
[Seen @ Le 5 Caumartin, Paris, on 25 Dec 2011]
