Robert Guédiguian is Marius and Jeannette (1997), Along breadcrumbs (2014) or Gloria Mundi (2019). It is the sun of Marseille that shines on its misery, a standing people who fight for the common good, families and loves who ignore conventions, children of Armenia, proud of their struggles and their identities, tragic or utopian messages, eminently cinematographic.
Almost 70 years old, with more than four decades of committed cinema, this left-wing activist – he was a member of the French Communist Party from 1968 to 1979, in addition to supporting several socialist and environmentalist parties over the years – is making films in his image. But with And the party continues!, his twenty-third feature film, he offers, surrounded by his unwavering allies, his most personal project; a summary of the reflections on Armenia, love, aging and politics which have fueled his creative spirit since his beginnings.
“I always put a part of myself into my work. While, normally, I slip a page from my diary into my films, here, let’s say there are a good dozen, laughs the filmmaker, contacted by The duty via videoconference. With this film, I reflect on today’s commitment. Even though everyone can focus on what really concerns them, I feel like it has become a chore for people. I wanted to remind people that activism is first and foremost joy, encounters and learning. »
Eminently optimistic, this latest feature film tells the story of Rosa, a sixty-year-old who shares her boundless energy between her large family, her work as a nurse and her political involvement in favor of the most deprived and newcomers. The working-class district of old Marseille where she lives with her family has been on fire since the collapse of two dilapidated buildings in the city center which killed and injured several people. On the eve of a decisive electoral deadline, the activist is considered the only one likely to seal the union of the left. As retirement approaches, however, Rosa begins to feel a certain fatigue, made up of the weight of broken dreams.
Fortunately, Rosa is well looked after. There are his sons, who carry within themselves the defense of the Armenian nation. His daughter-in-law, Alice, who fights for those left behind through art. There is his brother, a generous man, and his young colleagues at the hospital, who oscillate between kindness and disillusionment. Then there is Henri, with whom she falls madly in love by surprise, and who will allow her to renew her commitment and regain faith in her dreams.
Homage to the righteous
“I wanted to tell the stories of good people, who take care of others,” says the director. While humanity is going through a multitude of crises, I think I needed to see what I call the righteous, and to show individual and collective possibilities. I was inspired by real events, such as the tragedy of rue d’Aubagne, in Marseille. [lors de laquelle huit personnes ont perdu la vie dans l’effondrement de deux immeubles], which revived community organizations and reawakened solidarity, ultimately leading to the election of the left as mayor; a first in 35 years. »
The filmmaker was also intrigued by Michèle Rubirola, this former mayor of Marseille who, initially, did not want to be head of the list of the left, although she was the only one to have unanimous support. “Against all expectations, she was elected. After a few months, she gave up because she wasn’t interested in power. Through this eminently modern character, I was able to question the relationship we have today with political action, and slip my thoughts into all of my protagonists. »
Like its title, the film transforms despair, activist fatigue and cynicism into a celebration of life, art, beauty and humanity. “ And the party continues !, it is a nod to the revolutionary celebration of 1789; a popular festival, a cheering crowd, an explosion of life and joy which comes through language, songs, dance, bodies and sexuality, evokes Robert Guédiguian. For me, resignation and selfishness are the opposite of celebration. In all the fights, in all the demonstrations, there is a form of celebration, which emanates from the collective, from solidarity and the call for freedom. It is the role of cinema to fall into excess to reveal a way out, a possibility, something that reconciles us with the fate of the world. »
To highlight the beauty and power of commitment, the film team gave a dreamy, almost loving aesthetic treatment to its characters and their struggles. The result, more theatrical than naturalistic, offers an impression of dreamlike distance, which reinforces the utopian atmosphere that emerges from the whole.
“With my cinematographer, we worked a lot on the close-ups so that each character was surrounded by light. For the outdoor night scenes, we cut all the urban lighting, and we recreated a particular, designed, stylized light. »
Even if Robert Guediguian chose to make his film a great celebration of life, he has lost none of his critical spirit. In addition to addressing several current issues, including the housing and refugee crises, the filmmaker reflects on the internal divisions that prevent the left from achieving its objectives and gaining power.
“It saddens me. Today we cannot defend our own party before defending the disadvantaged, the people who have nothing. The leaders, unlike the activists, are so preoccupied with their navel and their party line that they are standing still. While they argue, we are witnessing the rise of far-right groups in Europe, but also throughout the world. It’s tragic. »
The film And the party continues! will be on display on December 22.