PAUL AND HIS BROTHER

Spain/Catalonia, 2001, 110 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Mark Recha

Paul and his brother is a Catalonian film, the first in competition in Cannes. The director, Mark Recha, has opted for a film style in the tradition of The Dogma Proclamation. He has said that he wanted the action to unfold before the camera, but not influenced by the camera. This makes for quite a distancing of the action and the characters from the audience.

A young man, Paul (Davis Selvas), is informed that his brother has died. He identifies him. He then discovers that his brother committed suicide. There are memories of the past, but they have been alienated. His brother (played by the director) has gone to the Pyrenees to work with the people in nature. However, he has become disillusioned. The film plays out the relationship between Paul and his mother, their search in the Pyrenees for some understanding of Alex. They encounter his boss who liked him very much, his daughter who has come from Toulouse, pregnant, and the girl whom he loved, Sarah. In their interactions (played at great length before the camera) the film shows us a great deal of the Pyrenees village, the interactions of the group, their personal quests. While the themes are of great interest, the style of the film-making and the distancing of the audience means that not as much interest in it all is generated by the film.