A farmer tracing her path between the dignity of women and dignity at work: after the fate of two Moroccan women last year, it is that of Constance, daughter of a breeder in Saône-et-Loire, who has chosen this year the attention of the jury of the Belief in Cinema Prize, by making fiction films The land of men of which she is the heroine, the winner of its second edition.
Drama. By Naël Marandin. 1 h 36. From 15 years old.
“How can a woman find her way in a world still dominated by men? Its director, Naël Marandin, deals with this issue in the context of the livestock crisis, forcefully but without ever simplifying or caricaturing. At a time when, in society, the debate on sexual violence is very lively, rarely has the question of consent been so well posed in the cinema. The subtlety of relationships between people is remarkably embodied, in particular by Diane Rouxel (who plays Constance) and Finnegan Oldfield (her fiancé), “explained the jury, made up of film and media professionals, to motivate their choice among the eight films in the running.
The 2022 award ceremony, including Pilgrim is a partner, is scheduled for March 31, at the L’Entreprise cinema (Paris), in public, in the presence of the film crew and members of the jury. The film will be screened during the evening. It can also be discovered now on DVD (Ed. Ad Vitam, €19.99.) or in Vod .
The Believe in Cinema Award
Like a light in the night. While 2020 reserved the darkest of scenarios for cinema, plunging dark rooms into absolute darkness, the creation in 2021 of a Believe in the Cinema prize served as comforting news. Its jury rewards a film released in theaters last year, on criteria taking into account both its “great artistic quality” and its “Christian responsibility”. The initiative comes from the signis catholic association .
Her intuition – to take a Christian look at cinema – has long been praised by professionals of the 7th art, in particular through the Ecumenical Jury Prize which she attributes to films selected at prestigious festivals, including that of Cannes. “The idea this time is to reach the general public, by creating an annual event that builds a bridge between cinema and the Christian world. Like the parables of Christ, the strength of cinema lies in telling stories. These speak to our contemporaries better than any theological discourse”, explains Valérie de Marnhac, general secretary of Signis-cinéma.
>>> Read also on Lepelerin.com: Our selection of 10 spiritual films
The other films in competition of the 2022 edition
From 14 years old.
One evening at a concert, Ruben, a young metal rock drummer, makes a terrifying discovery: he can’t hear anymore, or has very little. Technical prowess by the immersive power it brings to the viewer (a sound Oscar for the French engineer Nicolas Becker!), sound of metal also beautifully echoes the intimate vibes of the hero, along his journey of acceptance. A powerful work on inner listening. Our opinion: PPP
From 15 years old.
The seminarians explore a taboo subject: the collaboration – cynically orchestrated by the communist, atheist power – of national Catholic institutions in the countries of Eastern Europe, between the 1950s and 1980s. At the heart of an ageless Czechoslovak seminary , two young people, freshly called to the priesthood, must choose between official and underground churches. The stylistic bias of the film impresses: 4 X 5 image format, choice of black and white (as the film takes place in the 1980s) and slow camera movements. But his subject has all the more acuity, inviting everyone to scrutinize their inner self: how far would I go to defend my ideas, my faith? Our opinion: PPP
Comedy. From 13 years old.
“Here, when you have children, you pull yourself out of the box, that’s the philosophy of the house. Recruited by a start-up whose codes, language and technology he has no mastery of, Alexandre, a somewhat outdated executive, also conceals his double paternity from his employer. His professional setbacks are just beginning. Nourished by scenes each more comical than the other, Les 2 Alfred is a little gem of humor orchestrated by the Podalydès brothers (Denis and Bruno). Uberisation of work, falsely “cool” office life, the apparent ease of a hyper-connected world that makes us more dependent…: the film points out with accuracy and malice the failings of our post-industrial societies. Completely in tune with the times, this lively comedy also sheds light on the debate on the world before and the world after. Our opinion: PPP
From 13 years old.
Youri, 16, cannot bring himself to the planned destruction of his Gagarin city, in Ivry-sur-Seine (Val-de-Marne). While the bar is emptied of its inhabitants, this star enthusiast reconfigures the place into a space station. Social vein, poetic breath, science fiction setting: put into orbit thanks to the fertile brains of Fanny Liatard and Jérémy Trouilh, Gagarin is a bewitching cinematic UFO, coupled with a singular look at the suburbs. Our opinion: PPP
“The land of men”, winner of the 2022 Believe in Cinema award