La Lutte (aka Wrestling) is a short documentary made by four of the founding fathers of Francophone cinema, and is one of the films which has become canonized as part of the Direct Cinema tradition. A tradition that would shape Quebec Cinema.
Direct Cinema is often confused with Cinema Verite, which Brault also helped develop, alongside Jean Rouch et al. But the Direct Cinema tradition is, by nature, less intrusive- taking more of a fly-on-the-wall approach (as much as one can when holding a camera). Fred Wiseman is probably the most famous practitioner of Direct Cinema.
This film offers us a glimpse of Quebec culture at the beginning of the Quiet Revolution. The film is gorgeously shot and focuses as much on the spectators as it does on the performers and their trade. The filmmakers show how the audience becomes part of the spectacle and are just as entertaining as the show that they are there to see- perhaps being why they love it so much.
This is a Canadian classic which can be found in the Michel Brault boxset.
8 out of 10.
Direct Cinema is often confused with Cinema Verite, which Brault also helped develop, alongside Jean Rouch et al. But the Direct Cinema tradition is, by nature, less intrusive- taking more of a fly-on-the-wall approach (as much as one can when holding a camera). Fred Wiseman is probably the most famous practitioner of Direct Cinema.
This film offers us a glimpse of Quebec culture at the beginning of the Quiet Revolution. The film is gorgeously shot and focuses as much on the spectators as it does on the performers and their trade. The filmmakers show how the audience becomes part of the spectacle and are just as entertaining as the show that they are there to see- perhaps being why they love it so much.
This is a Canadian classic which can be found in the Michel Brault boxset.
8 out of 10.
