''The Absent One'' (french: L'Absent) is a 1997
Canadian experimental film written and directed by
Céline Baril
Céline Baril (born 1953) is a Canadian artist and film director.
Early life
Baril was born in Gentilly, Quebec. In 1982, she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in degree from the Université du Québec à Montréal.
Career
Her film ''24 Davids'' was ...
.
[ ]
The idea for the film was inspired by Baril's discovery in a
Paris flea market
A flea market (or swap meet) is a type of street market that provides space for vendors to sell previously-owned (second-hand) goods. This type of market is often seasonal. However, in recent years there has been the development of 'formal' ...
of a dusty old photo album. Interior scenes, and all exteriors of European cities, including
Rome,
Vienna,
Budapest and
Prague, as well as glimpses (footage) of old
B&W photos of a family, were shot in
8 mm and blown up to
16 mm
16 mm film is a historically popular and economical gauge of film. 16 mm refers to the width of the film (about inch); other common film gauges include 8 and 35 mm. It is generally used for non-theatrical (e.g., industrial, edu ...
for effect.
Synopsis
This film tells the story of Paul Kadar, an architect and musician who, en route to
Budapest, is overcome by vertigo while contemplating the
Danube and throws himself into it. It is an account of the happiness shared by Paul Kadar, his wife Françoise
and Roland, their adopted son.
Years later, Roland, still unclear as to the circumstances that led his father to drown himself in the Danube, heads to Europe to find out for himself. His journey takes him to such places as Budapest,
Warsaw,
Prague and even as far as
Tokyo.
Cast
*
Roland Bréard as Roland Kadar
*
Bobo Vian as Hungarian Interviewer
Reception
In August 1997, Brendan Kelly of ''
Variety'' wrote, "With its snail-like pacing, sub-par acting and underwhelming emotional impact, "The Absent One" is not likely to stir up much interest," and concludes with "Baril moves what little story there is along at an extremely slow speed, further straining viewer patience."
See also
*
1997 Toronto International Film Festival/Perspective Canada
References
External links
*
''L' Absent'' at TIFFG Film reference libraryRitsumeikan University database
{{DEFAULTSORT:Absent One, The
Canadian avant-garde and experimental films
Quebec films
1997 films
1990s avant-garde and experimental films
1990s French-language films
French-language Canadian films
1990s Canadian films