Mr X @ Sundance

Auteur is a much misappropriated word in cinema in the same way designer is in fashion, but the idiosyncratic extraordinary Leos Carax is one filmmaker who so unreservedly deserves the accolade. This new affectionate tribute to him examines why since his first film at the tender age  of 24 ‘Boy Meets Girl’ won him an Award and much love at Cannes in 1984 and even though he has made just four other features (and contributed to two more), he is universally regarded as one of the most important filmmakers in French cinema today.

Documentarian Tessa Louise-Salomé takes on the task of trying to find the real man behind the mask and starts by asking Carax if this was a real or assumed name. To which the reply was simply ‘it’s a real assumed name!’  And that neatly sets the standard for the answers she will get from this very elusive figure in her investigation.  Louise-Salomé had been an assistant on Carax’s latest (and possibly best) movie ‘Holy Motors’ which one critic had called ‘The craziest film of this year. Or any year‘ and still gave it 5 stars …. so she at least had a heads up on the man. 

Carax’s debut saw the start of two long very significant relationships for the filmmaker.  The first with actor Denis Levant who Carax plucked out of the Conservatory and thrust him straight into being a leading man in all his movies, and the second with award winning cinematographer Jean-Yves Escoffier. And whilst his 2nd movie ‘Bad Blood’ stirred up some controversy, it was his third that would actually make his reputation although at the time it seemed like this extravagant way-over-budget piece would prove to be his potential downfall like Warren Beatty’s ‘Ishtar’ or Kevin Costner’s ‘Waterworld.’

‘Les Amants du Pont-Neuf’ started with a modest budget of 7 million francs and was scheduled to be shot on location in Paris.  The Mayor would only allow Carax to shoot on the Pont Neuf for 10 days, so he built a full size replica which would prove to be only the first of many headaches.  The somewhat paranoid Carax who obsessed over every minute detail filmed on and off over the next two years and the movie ended up costing over 100 million francs when it was eventually finished in 1990.  A very young Juliette Binoche was the star (along with Lavant) and she described the whole lengthy process as chaotic with some days Carax just pointing the camera and expecting her to act without a script or actual direction. Yet now as she reflects back on it all she appreciates that what a unique experience it was to be working on what turned out to be Carax’s most popular film ever. She, and everybody else interviewed, never hesitated in calling this willfully bizarre man anything less than a genius.

Carax’s output is hard to define. It is stunning visual and bears no resemblance to anything one has ever seen before on a screen, and always shocks, horrifies and delights you at the same time. This documentary neatly highlighted the fact that some essayists tend to over intellectualise his work.  It is always open for interpretation but maybe not as pretentious as some of them allude too.

Louise-Salomé’s excellent wee film may not have uncovered much about the mysterious solitary man himself, but it is a fond appreciation of exceptional filmmaker which will truly delight cinephiles everywhere.

★★★★★★★★★