听 It has nothing to do with World War II. Instead, the documentary Back To Normandy explores the impact of a film production company rolling into town. It was in 1975 that the unassuming locals were roped into starring in a portrait of 19th century killer Pierre Riviere. Nicolas Philibert was an assistant director on that project and, over 30 years later, comes over all nostalgic. Watching it is like sitting through the neighbours' holiday slides: you really had to be there.
Opening with bloody scenes of a piglet being born certainly grabs the attention, but Philibert even manages to drag this out to the point of banality. It's an introduction to a Normandy farmer who was among those humble folk who deigned to appear in Rene Allio's 1975 film Moi, Pierre Riviere. Another of the cast members now owns an orchard and makes his own apple juice. Cue the apples being picked, pressed and juiced. And so on...
"TOTALLY RANDOM"
Occasionally there are moments that nicely illustrate the clash between traditional rural life and the 'production line' mentality of the filmmakers - one of the farmers-turned-actors recalls Allio telling him off for trying to help the crew lay some cables. Mostly though, Philibert lets the interviewees ramble and the fly-on-the-wall business feels totally random. This lingering approach worked well for observing children in his 2003 film Etre Et Avoir, but adults are more self-conscious and less likely to give anything away without careful questioning. What exactly it is that Philibert is trying to get at remains a mystery. He includes entries from Allio's production diary and snatches of a murder confession by Pierre Riviere. Only in the very last frame does he reveal footage of his own father whose part in Allio's film was eventually cut. It's the most intriguing discovery of this investigation - haunting in its silence - and just like that, it's over.
Back To Normandy (Retour en Normandie) is out in the UK on 18th January 2008.
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