Films: Bastards (18) & Stranger by the Lake (18)

Bastards (18)

Acclaimed French filmmaker Claire Denis (White Material, Beau Travail) returns with arguably her most mysterious work since 2004’s L’intrus. A man commits suicide, leaving his affairs in chaos and wife in a state of distress. She contacts her brother (Vincent Lindon), who gives up his job as a merchant sea captain to investigate what happened. But, the truth may be something that no one ever wants revealed. As the film continues, shreds of details, context, facts, clues and connections start to reveal themselves, and the money, the sex, and the bodies slowly drift into place. Grimly beautiful and unhinged, Bastards is Denis' darkest work yet - a captivatingly cryptic, richly rewarding puzzle of a film.

Fri 28 March 6pm
Sat 29 March 8pm
Sun 30 March 5.30pm
Tues 1 April 8.30pm
Wed 2 April 2.30pm & 6pm
Thur 3 April 8.30pm

Dir. Claire Denis, France/Germany, 2013, 100 mins, subtitled.
Cast. Vincent Lindon, Chiara Mastroianni, Julie Bastille.

Stranger by the Lake (18)

In southern France, Franck frequents his local cruising spot each day; sunbathing, swimming and admiring the bronzed male bodies. Late one night he witnesses an act of violence and finds himself drawn into an enticing web of danger that could put his life in jeopardy. Winner of both the Queer Palm and Best Director at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival, Guiraudie’s meditation on love, sex and murderous desire is a deeply unconventional thriller distinguished by a hypnotic tranquility. With hardcore abandon, Guiraudie transforms his cruising ground into a verdant labyrinth of perilous possibility, rife with voyeuristic pleasures. But beneath this surface of carefree hedonism lies a shrewd critique on the dangers of anonymous encounters and the illicit thrills of risk-taking.

Fri 28 March 8.30pm
Saturday 29 March 2.30 and 5.30pm
Sunday 30 March 8pm
Tuesday 1 April 6pm
Wednesday 2 April 8.30pm
Thursday 3 April 6pm

Dir. Alain Guiraudie, France, 2013, 97 mins,
subtitled. Cast. Pierre Deladonchamps,
Christophe Paou, Patrick d’Assumcao.

Details and tickets: www.plymouthartscentre.org