Filmlovers! (Spectateurs)     French Film Festival

In a way, reviewing writer/director Arnaud Desplechin’s film seems somewhat superfluous, as Spectateurs! itself forms a review of a life in film, and what cinema means to those of us whose parts are played by watching what happens on screen.

Part documentary, part recreation of Desplechin’s life as portrayed by his long-standing alter ego Paul Dedalus, whom we watch here growing from small boy entranced by films on tv and in the cinema through school film club founder, film student to director in his own right, this is indeed a labour of love.

He mixes personal memories with interviews, many of which are with seemingly random unidentified cinemagoers whom he asks questions that vary from the perhaps obvious – what was the first film you saw? – to the curious – where in the cinema do you like to sit? This latter gave me cause to ponder, since I share the love of film with a good friend of mine but we never sit together in a cinema, as he always has to be in the front row, where he sat as a child, and I much prefer to be near the back. So do we see the film differently? Perhaps we do…

Also seemingly random but presumably selected because they are near to Desplechin’s heart, are the multitude of clips from a wide selection of films – none of which are identified by name. Perhaps he thinks that if his audience don’t recognise them, then they should seek out the films from which they come. But perhaps they are simply there because they are moments that he loves, that stir his soul and he wants to share them.

In and out of this weaves Paul Dedalus in the various stages of his life. Curiously, it is these scenes, whether they be “dramatic reconstructions”, pure fiction or a mixture of both that do much to draw is in to Desplechin’s world. For here we share with young Paul the childhood wonder of seeing film for the first time and his desire to see more, to grow up wanting to be part of the magic that enthrals us.

There is no doubt in my mind that this film succeeds. When I have finished writing this, I’m going to check the cinema listings. I’m off to see another film, from a seat towards the back of the auditorium, centrally placed so there’s room for young “Paul” on one side, and, as always, the young me on the other side.

Jim Welsh