Mortality under the spotlight

HÉLÈNE (VICKY Krieps) has been diagnosed with a degenerative lung condition with little hope for recovery. Confronted by her own mortality, she must decide how she wants to live out her life, and how to factor in her partner Mathieu (the late Gaspard Ulliel).

At a dinner party Hélène is treated with cautious concern, friends not knowing how to approach, or even talk around her. Aware of this disruption, she is desperate for an escape – even the insistent support she receives from Mathieu is suffocating. Krieps is convincing as someone experiencing a crisis, by turns angry and confused, with no clear sense of what she wants, whilst Ulliel’s tragic death last year draws out a poignancy in the way his character desperately wants his

Addiction Intervention Now) in 2017 with a group of like-minded people.

Using her position in the art world to target the Sacklers – the family and pharmaceutical empire often blamed for the opioid crisis in the United States – who have historically had their names in art galleries around the world. Here we see P.A.I.N as they infiltrate museums with elaborate signs and props, an artistic installation of sorts, that carries an important message, honouring the hundreds of thousands who have died in this epidemic.

Many of these reputable art houses would love to have the work of Goldin, but they get a little more than they bargained for.

The film has been nominated for an Academy Award in the Documentary Feature Film category. 4 out of 5 roundels

Review by Sam Cooney partner to survive, placing all hope in the possibility of a risky lung transplant.

Searching the internet for some way to make sense of her situation, Hélène comes across a blog that resonates. Unlike many others, which feature inspirational slogans about bravery, she is drawn to the posts by ‘Mister’ for their simplicity: featuring photographs with only a title. Deciding to reach out to this person, Hélène finds herself on a journey to Norway to stay with Mister and get ‘distance from everything’, including Mathieu.

Although the location is somewhat of a paradise, there is no sudden gratification. Mister (Bjørn Floberg) is not particularly warm, and the fishing cabin he has offered, though placed on the edge of a majestic fjord, has an uncomfortable bed and no blackout curtains to keep out the persistent light.

Much like Mister’s online posts compared to the quasi-spiritual blogs, More Than Ever avoids glossing over the hardship and takes a realist stance on coping with death.

There are interesting choices in the sometimes abstract cinematography, though the tone remains pretty stark as it falls away to focus on difficult conversations. 3 out of 5 roundels

Review by Sam Cooney