fortuna directed by Germinal Roaux Fourteen year-old Fortuna has been separated radical simplicity of Roaux’s approach, along from her parents during the perilous journey from Africa to Europe and now waits In a refugee centre, which has been set up within a monastery in the Swiss mountains. The handful of monks who live, work and worship there try to come to terms with the intrusion of this human tragedy into their secluded lives. Fortuna, increasingly isolated and unhappy, is assumed by the carers at the centre to be upset by her parents’ absence and her uncertain future. In fact, her predicament is even more serious...
with the sheer beauty of so much of the film, suggest that his gamble - if that’s what it was - has paid off handsomely.
The piety and goodness of the monks, which are depicted with the same rapt sincerity as in Xavier Beauvois’ 2010 film OF GODS AND MEN, are matched by Fortuna’s own naive Christian faith, perhaps implying that they have more in common with each other than with the refuge centre’s wearily pragmatic administrator and the rest of the outside world. However, this idea remains unresolved, Shot in black and white, with plenty of in keeping with a film whose virtues are shallow-focus close-ups? Check. Employing mainly suggestive rather than explicit. In the old 4:3 screen ratio? Check. Wordless shots particular, the film employs a gracefully fluid of a beautiful but barren landscape? Check. chronology which makes it seem possible Action-free conversations about profound that much of the narrative, including some philosophical questions? Long sequences particularly well-realised dream sequences, is of mundane activity? Stubbornly passive taking place inside Fortuna’s head... protagonist? Check, check and check. As if - Stephen Watson to underline the connection with Bressonian transcendentalism, there’s even a donkey. See it at the Picturehouse on 26th Oct at FORTUNA is so stuffed with signifiers of 13.30 and Emma College on 27th Oct at serious intent that the viewer may be forgiven 16.15. for thinking that the director Germinal Roaux has overplayed his hand. Nonetheless, the