Pacifiction

In this article, we will explore Pacifiction from different perspectives, delving into its importance, impact and relevance in today's society. Pacifiction is a topic that has captured the attention of experts and fans alike, and through this detailed analysis, we seek to shed light on its many facets. From its history to its future, through its implications in culture, politics and the economy, we will enter a universe of possibilities and challenges. Get ready to discover everything you need to know about Pacifiction and its influence on the modern world.

Pacifiction
Theatrical release poster
FrenchPacifiction – Tourment sur les îles
Directed byAlbert Serra
Written byAlbert Serra
Produced by
  • Pierre-Olivier Bardet
  • Albert Serra
  • Montse Triola
  • Dirk Decker
  • Andrea Schütte
  • Joaquim Sapinho
  • Marta Alves
  • Laurent Jacquemin
StarringBenoît Magimel
CinematographyArtur Tort
Edited by
  • Albert Serra
  • Artur Tort
  • Ariadna Ribas
Music by
  • Marc Verdaguer
  • Joe Robinson
Production
companies
  • Idéale Audience Group (France)
  • Andergraun Films (Spain)
  • Tamtam Film (Germany)
  • Rosa Filmes (Portugal)
Distributed by
Release dates
  • 26 May 2022 (2022-05-26) (Cannes)
  • 2 September 2022 (2022-09-02) (Spain)
  • 9 November 2022 (2022-11-09) (France)
Running time
165 minutes[1]
Countries
  • France
  • Spain
  • Portugal
  • Germany
Languages
Box office$298,934[2]

Pacifiction (French: Pacifiction – Tourment sur les îles) is a 2022 thriller drama film written and directed by Albert Serra, and starring Benoît Magimel. The film premiered at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival, where it competed for the Palme d'Or.[3] The film title is a portmanteau of the words Pacific and fiction.[4]

Plot

"On the French Polynesian island of Tahiti, the High Commissioner of the Republic and French government official De Roller is a calculating man with flawless manners. His somewhat broad perception of his role brings him to navigate the high-end 'establishment' as well as shady venues where he mingles with the locals. A persistent rumour also has been going around: The sighting of a submarine with a ghostly presence could herald the return of French nuclear testing."

Cast

  • Benoît Magimel as High Commissioner De Roller
  • Pahoa Mahagafanau as Shannah
  • Marc Susini as l'amiral
  • Matahi Pambrun as Matahi
  • Alexandre Mello as le Portugais
  • Sergi López as Morton
  • Montse Triola as Francesca
  • Michael Vautor as le capitaine
  • Cécile Guilbert as Romane Attia
  • Lluís Serrat as Lois
  • Mike Landscape as M. Mike
  • Cyrus Arai as Cyrus
  • Mareva Wong as la secrétaire
  • Baptiste Pinteaux as Olivier

Release

The film screened at the 75th Cannes Film Festival on 26 May 2022.[5] Distributed by Elastica, it was released theatrically in Spain on 2 September 2022.[6] It was released by Les Films du Losange in France on 9 November 2022.[7]

Reception

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 87% based on 70 reviews, with an average rating of 7.7/10. The website's consensus reads, "Narratively sparse and visually vast, Pacifiction is a tsunami of a political thriller that philosophically rewards those willing to weather it."[8] According to Metacritic, which assigned a weighted average score of 75 out of 100 based on 18 critics, the film received "generally favorable reviews".[9]

Reviewing the film following its Cannes premiere, Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian wrote that he was "captivated by the film and its stealthy evocation of pure evil."[10] Christian Blauvelt of IndieWire wrote, "Pacifiction is not a vicarious experience of luxury; it is an experience of life. Set to its own tidal rhythm, it is one of the most beautiful and rigorously introspective movies of this or any year."[11] The Hollywood Reporter's Leslie Felperin called it "Punishingly slow, though not uninteresting."[12] Guy Lodge of Variety wrote, "Provided they stick with the film's luxuriantly gradual pacing... there are rewards here even for more bemused viewers caught in its tide."[13] Nando Salvá of Cinemanía rated the film 4½ out of 5 stars, underscoring the film to be "Romantic. Seductive. Hypnotic. Overwhelming" as a verdict.[6]

Top ten lists

The film appeared on some critics' top-ten lists of the best films of 2022:

It also appeared on a number of critics' top-ten lists of the best European films of 2022:

  • 1st — Cineuropa (David González)[16]
  • 1st — Cineuropa (David Katz)[16]
  • 1st — Cineuropa (Alfonso Rivera)[16]
  • 2nd — Cineuropa (Martin Kudlac)[16]
  • 2nd — Cineuropa (Fabien Lemercier)[16]
  • 3rd — Cineuropa (Júlia Olmo)[16]
  • 3rd — Cineuropa (Cristóbal Soage)[16]
  • 9th — Cineuropa (Vladan Petkovic)[16]

Accolades

Year Award Category Nominee(s) Result Ref.
2022 Louis Delluc Prize Best Film of the Year Won [17]
2023 28th Lumières Awards Best Film Nominated [18]
Best Director Albert Serra Won
Best Actor Benoît Magimel Won
Best Cinematography Artur Tort Won
Best Music Marc Verdaguer Nominated
15th Gaudí Awards Best Non-Catalan Language Film Won [19]
Best Director Albert Serra Nominated
Best Actor Benoît Magimel Nominated
Best Original Screenplay Albert Serra Nominated
Best Cinematography Artur Tort Won
Best Editing Albert Serra, Artur Tort, Ariadna Ribas Nominated
Best Production Supervision Clàudia Robert Nominated
Best Art Direction Sebastian Vogler Won
Best Costume Design Práxedes de Villalonga Nominated
Best Makeup and Hairstyles Aurélie Vigouroux, Maryline Montibert Nominated
Best Original Score Marc Verdaguer, Joe Robinson Nominated
10th Feroz Awards Arrebato Award (Fiction) Nominated [20]
48th César Awards Best Film Nominated [21]
Best Director Albert Serra Nominated
Best Actor Benoît Magimel Won
Best Cinematography Artur Tort Won
Best Original Music Marc Verdaguer, Joe Robinson Nominated
Best Costume Design Praxedes de Vilallonga Nominated
Best Production Design Sebastian Vogler Nominated
Best Sound Jordi Ribas, Benjamin Laurent, Bruno Tarriere Nominated
Best Visual Effects Marco del Bianco Nominated

See also

References

  1. ^ "Pacifiction". British Board of Film Classification. Retrieved 17 April 2023.
  2. ^ "Pacifiction (2022)". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved 27 December 2022.
  3. ^ "Pacifiction". Festival de Cannes. Festival de Cannes. Retrieved 12 November 2022.
  4. ^ Wham, James (15 July 2022). "Pacific Fictions". New Left Review. Retrieved 16 February 2023.
  5. ^ Tsanis, Magdalena (26 May 2022). "Albert Serra desconcierta en Cannes con la bizarra y magnética "Pacifiction". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). Retrieved 14 November 2022.
  6. ^ a b Salvá, Nando (31 August 2022). "Crítica de 'Pacifiction'". Cinemanía. Retrieved 13 November 2022 – via 20minutos.es.
  7. ^ Belsoeur, Camille. "Pacifiction - Tourment sur les îles : Benoît Magimel surnage dans un thriller d'espionnage en eaux trop calmes". www.francetvinfo.fr (in French). Retrieved 12 November 2022.
  8. ^ "Pacifiction". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
  9. ^ "Pacifiction Reviews". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
  10. ^ Bradshaw, Peter (26 May 2022). "Pacifiction review – trouble in paradise, in apocalyptic Tahitian mystery". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 November 2022.
  11. ^ Blauvelt, Christian (12 October 2022). "'Pacifiction' Review: Here's the Art Film of the Year". IndieWire. Retrieved 12 November 2022.
  12. ^ Felperin, Leslie (27 May 2022). "'Pacifiction': Film Review | Cannes 2022". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 12 November 2022.
  13. ^ Lodge, Guy (27 May 2022). "'Pacifiction' Review: Albert Serra's Torpid Tahitian Getaway is Cryptic But Curiously Hypnotic". Variety. Retrieved 12 November 2022.
  14. ^ Zilko, Christian (1 December 2022). "'Pacifiction' Tops Cahiers du Cinema's Best Films of 2022 List". IndieWire.
  15. ^ a b c Dietz, Jason (6 December 2022). "Critics pick the best movies of 2022". Metacritic. Archived from the original on 2 January 2023. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  16. ^ a b c d e f g h "Cineuropa's Best of 2022". Cineuropa. 21 December 2022.
  17. ^ "Le Prix Delluc récompense ex aequo les films "Saint Omer" d'Alice Diop et "Pacifiction" d'Albert Serra". rtbf.be. 30 November 2022.
  18. ^ "Lumières 2023 : "La Nuit du 12", "Pacifiction", "Saint Omer" et "Les Enfants des autres" en tête des nominations". France Info. 15 December 2022.
  19. ^ "'Alcarràs' y 'Un año, una noche', favoritas en los Premios Gaudí: lista de nominaciones". Cinemanía. 14 December 2022 – via 20minutos.es.
  20. ^ "Premios Feroz 2023 | Palmarés completo: empatan 'As bestas' y 'Cinco lobitos' en cine y 'La ruta' y 'No me gusta conducir' en series". Cinemanía. 29 January 2023 – via 20minutos.es.
  21. ^ Roxborough, Scott; Vlessing, Etan (24 February 2023). "César Awards: 'The Night of the 12th' Named Best Picture". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 26 February 2023.