The Astronaut by and with Nicolas Giraud has been in theaters since Wednesday, February 15. Bulles de Culture’s opinion and film review on this feature film, as well as our interview with director and actress Anne Charrier at the Angoulême Francophone Film Festival 2022.
Summary:
Aeronautical engineer at Ariane Group, Jim has devoted himself for years to a secret project: to build his own rocket and accomplish the first manned space flight as an amateur. But to realize his dream, he must learn to share it…
The Astronaut : a child’s dream at the height of a man
Nicolas Giraud, Mathieu Kassovitz in the film “The Astronaut” © 2021 Nord-Ouest Films – Orange studio – Artémis Productions – Zak Brothers
Hélène Vincent, Mathieu Kassovitz, Nicolas Giraud, Bruno Lochet, Ayumi Roux in the film “The Astronaut” © 2021 Nord-Ouest Films – Orange studio – Artémis Productions – Frères Zak
First comedian, Nicolas Giraud signed with Sunshine in my eyeshis first feature in 2018. Five years later, he is back behind (and in front of) the camera for The Astronautsublime cinematographic mise en abyme, imbued with poetry and sweet madness.
The film indeed tells how, Jim (Nicolas Giraud) moves mountains to realize his dream of space travel, even if it means building in his garden the first amateur rocket capable of taking him to the stars (and beyond).
Like the director who manages to offer a 100% Frenchy Spielbergian tale (80’s vintage), the film fills our eyes with stars.
Our opinion ?
Radical in its staging, Nicolas Giraud ignores his cruel lack of means to offer us a child’s dream at the height of a man. Annoying at times — probably not spectacular enough for its subject — the film The Astronaut yet knows how to touch us with the sincerity that emanates from it and the crazy energy that we see unfolding both on, and as we imagine, outside the screen.
Video interviews with director Nicolas Giraud and actress Anne Charrier
A hymn to the power of dreams combined with the power of the collective, The Astronaut is certainly not a film like the others. Like its director, Nicolas Giraudwhom we had met accompanied by his actress, Anne Charrierlast summer Angoulême Francophone Film Festival.
This video meeting can be found at the beginning of the article.
Learn more:
- The Astronaut
Directed by: Nicolas Giraud
Cast: Nicolas Giraud, Mathieu Kassovitz, Hélène Vincent, Bruno Lochet, Ayumi Roux, Hippolyte Girardot, Anne Charrier - Release date France: 02/15/2023
- Distribution France: Orange Studio / Diaphana Cast