UN AUTRE MONDE/ ANOTHER WORLD

France, 2021, 96 minutes, Colour.

Vincent Lindon, Sandrine Kiberlain, Anthony Bajon, Marie Drucker, Jerry Hickey.

Directed by Stephane Brize.

If one were to recommend a film about capitalism, about industrialisation, downsizing, board meetings, and the effect of profit-focused management and its repercussions on individuals and families, Another World would be a good contender.

It is a comparatively brief film, very strong on dialogue, on words, on verbal interactions. It opens with the pending across photos of a lifetime of a marriage, then proceeds to acrimonious conversations for a divorce, a focus on the busy husband, another very strong performance from veteran Vincent Lindon has Philippe, and his wife of decades, Sandra Kiberlaiin, discussions about money, her saying that money was not important.

Then the film moves to board meetings, Philippe having given seven years of his life to head up a department, having strong views, not afraid to express his opinions, interacting with his colleagues. There are further complicated board meetings with higher authorities, with an American authority, a very telling sequence where the American praises Philippe and his submission and then, initially apologetically, condemns his proposal.

Philippe is shown at the meetings, vigorous, but also studying documentation, quiet, continually exercising on a treadmill, some meetings with his wife, a subplot concerning their son who has had an outburst, attacking a Professor, and is in treatment.

Ultimately, Philippe has to decide between ambition and success and integrity.

1. The title, another world from ordinary people’s lives? Yet ordinary people being drawn into its ambit?
2. The French city, homes, business offices, institutions? The musical score?
3. A film of dialogue, expertly written conversations, in divorce proceedings, in boardrooms, at home, at the institution for the son, quiet private rooms?
4. The opening and the tone, introduction to Philippe and Anne, slow tracking over the photos of the family over the years, the divorce proceedings, each side of the desk, financial issues, Philippe dominating, the advice of the lawyers, Anne and her quiet, submissiveness, her experience of the previous seven years and Philippe’s job? Audience sympathies for each?
5. The transition to the board room, the many board room sequences, the intense conversations, Philippe, ideas, dominant, challenging, Olivier and his opinions about downsizing, the various members of the board, the range of opinions? The further board room discussions, the heads of departments and plants, the chiefs, the national board, the raising of issues, to and fro, dealing, debating?
6. A film about capitalism, intensity, profit and Wall Street, unions and members, the issues, financial versus personal? Issues of profit? Downsizing, testing capabilities and decisions about who should be let go? The pressure on Philippe? Seeing him by himself, the constant treadmill exercise, quietly at home, quietly studying the documents?
7. The film’s portrait of executives, their ambitions, motivations, interplay? The important interview with Cooper, his initial praising of Philippe and his methods, then the complete condemnation of his proposal? Responsibility to shareholders, to Wall Street?
8. The background human story, Philippe meeting An inen the car park, their talk, her breaking down, feeling foolish, turning 50, prospects? His conversation with Lucas? The episode and Lucas attacking the professor, to the institution, the treatment, the parents present, the sadness, the discussions, the episode of him working with the puppet (and the final image of puppet control and the puppet walking further? The relationship between son and parents, his treatment, his wanting the books to study, his ambitions, settling down, the possibility for his improvement?
9. The buildup to decisions, the fact that Philippe was taped, the reassurance to the union representatives, that challenging him? The interview with the bosses, the proposal to get rid of Olivier, Philippe, the intensity of his reflections, the issue of integrity, his letter refusing the offer, condemning the officials?
10. An opportunity for a broad audience to appreciate something of what happens in business, industry, profit, downsizing, personal integrity?