L'étranger
In 1942, French author Albert Camus published his novel L’étranger. Critics embraced the story as an ‘existentialist parable’, but Camus himself rejected the label ‘existentialism’. He believed that existence is essentially absurd and meaningless, and that is precisely what he wanted to show with this story. It had already been made into a film, including by Luchino Visconti in 1967, but this time François Ozon, the director who is at home in all film genres, has taken on the story again, with Benjamin Voisin in the lead role and in black and white.
Meursault, a somewhat unworldly and colourless office clerk at a shipping company, receives the news that his mother has died. She lived in Algiers, so he travels there for the funeral. He does not shed a tear during the ceremony; there is no emotion to be seen. The next day, he begins an affair with his former colleague Marie. She hopes for more, but he does not want to commit. He prefers to hang out with the shady Raymond Sintès, a dangerous friendship, as will soon become apparent.
