French Film Festival: Another World

The remarkable Vincent Lindon (At War, AF FFF19; Rodin, AF FFF18), reunites with acclaimed writer/director Stéphane Brizé (At War, AF FFF19) for the stunning Another World, delivering a powerhouse turn as a driven white-collar manager torn between duty to his job, his family and his principles.

Lindon plays Philippe Lemesle, an executive who oversees the regional factory of an industrial multi-national. He has dedicated his life to the company, balancing relations with his employees while placating his bosses and their American overlords. But it’s come at a high personal cost - he and partner Anne (Sandrine Kiberlain, Sweetheart, AF FFF20 and In Safe Hands, AF FFF19) are separating, and his relationship with troubled son Lucas (In the Name of the Land’s Anthony Bajon, AF FFF20) is also collapsing. So when the already-frayed Philippe is tasked by management with a downsizing operation, he faces a major crisis of conscience.

Harnessing the humanist spirit of Ken Loach, Brizé’s intimate and emotionally engaging film is a clear-eyed look at the pressures of modern society. Lindon is truly astounding, finding empathy and pathos as a man backed into a corner, but who decides to fight back. He - and the film - is a knockout.

DRAMA / FRANCE / 2022 / 97 MIN / M