Staying Vertical

A filmmaker wanders the countryside aimlessly. A series of meetings with different characters, such as a shepherdess living with her father and children and a beautiful boy who takes care of an elderly man, changes the course of his work and life. This is the premise of this hypnotizing film by Alain Guiraudie, the French director famous for his 2013 Stranger by the Lake. His latest film, which was the talk of the day in Cannes, offers a fascinating and emotional viewing experience. Guiraudie pulls in and then pushes away the audience as he emphasizes the means of expression in this film on art, belonging and fluid sexuality that lingers with the viewer long after the lights come on.