Evolution/Innocence (Lucile Hadzihalilovic)

[pro-bassoonist]

Evolution + Innocence Blu-ray PRE-ORDER



Two films from Lucile Hadzihalilovic coming to Blu-ray from French label Potemkine.

Evolution (2015): The only residents of young Nicholas's seaside town are women and boys. When he sees a dead body in the ocean one day, he begins to question his existence and surroundings. Why must he, and all the other boys, be hospitalised?

Innocence (2004): At the heart of a densely wooded forest lies a mysterious girls' boarding school, cut off from the outside world by a great wall with no door. Within, a group of youngsters aged between seven and twelve gather round a small coffin, from which emerges a new pupil, six-year-old Iris. Led by the eldest girl, Bianca, Iris is introduced to this strange yet enchanting world of lamp-lit forest paths and eerie underground passageways, where there are no adults save for some elderly servants and two melancholy young teachers. But this haven is one from which the girls are forbidden to leave; those that do are never heard from again. Haunting and bizarre, filmmaker Lucile Hadzihalovic imbues Innocence with a fairytale-like sense of menace and images of surreal beauty, creating a mesemrising and timeless evocation of childhood.

I have not seen the new film yet, but Innocence is a small masterpiece. Intoxicatingly beautiful film! Hopefully, Curzon Artificial Eye will upgrade their DVD release.