The Confrontation

PostED ON OCTOBER 14

Screened under the banner of the section Treasures & Curiosities, The Confrontation by Hungarian director Miklós Jancsó is a work of fascinating singularity. 

In 1947, students are fighting against all forms of tyranny that prevent their youth from expressing themselves. To achieve this, they have an unstoppable weapon - the possibility of singing and dancing together whenever they wish, while inviting those they meet to do the same. The Hungarian filmmaker multiplies the angles in this very graceful and ultimately elegiac film. He manipulates his camera as lightly as the steps of his heroes, giving the viewer the feeling that he or she too can join in the dance. He dresses his characters in a simple yet meaningful way; the protagonist wears an eye-catching red shirt, while the students who are not yet committed to the cause of freedom are in blue & grey, diluted hues that seem to erase them. All the characters evolve in the heart of both a natural and urban landscape, perfectly deserted for an exclusively outdoor shoot. No extras, no other life, except for the dancing and singing and a few lines of dialogue. No cars are allowed, except for the jeeps of a few soldiers. Shot in 1968, a period when everything seemed to want to move, even if it meant starting a revolution (including in the countries of the Soviet bloc), The Confrontation, with its very young actors, is a plea for life that tries to break through at all costs.

The Confrontation, 1969 

Virginie Apiou

Screenings :

The Confrontation by Miklós Jancsó (Fényes szelek, 1969, 1h21)
Pathé Bellecour Thu14 4.30pm

Previously unscreened restoration made from the original negative by the National Film Institute Hungary Film Archive and conducted at the NFI Film Archive and Filmlab.