László Illés / Hungary / 1h30
Synopsis
In 1944, Nazis occupy the territory. An old lonely shepherd hears gunshots from his pastureland. In the forest nearby, a group of Jews tries to escape from their persecutors…
The technical performance is remarkable. Each sequence or so was shot in long-take, which is quite a feat when it comes to camera movements and special effects. Action scenes are thereby impressive and immersive, and moments of tension completely gripping. Let’s highlight the quality historical reenactment (sets, costumes, props). Concerning aesthetic: colour grading is beautiful, the music too.
The scenario is built on a 3-act structure— same unity of time shown via two different points of view, then a third part that gathers them both while continuing the story. The beginning is speechless: you have to wait 10 minutes to hear a word, and the first real lines occur at 26’— audacious choice. If this first part might feel long or empty, you’ll be surprised to find a different echo to it later, and the two following ones bring their share of high points.
No weak link in the cast, the acting turns out to be solid right across the board. We especially admired the Judith/Ábel duo (Ági Jókai & Gergely Goitein), delivering the film’s most poignant scene ("Then we'll sit here.")… András Sütő’s performance in the role of soldier Alfréd is also stunning.
What could we pick at « The Shepherd »? Maybe a few missing sound effects around the barn sequence, and the last running’s relative improbability (but which adds a strange poetic dimension). Ultimately this feature film creates a real heavy feeling that’ll crush you until the end credits’ appearance.
Conclusion
Powerful and meticulous.
G.W.
« The Shepherd » joins official selection for the Little Croco Festival’s first edition, nominated in the Drama category.
Trailer:
Comments