France's student

Something in the Air will capture all France's student uprisings

By Jenny Alvarez

Photo by  Courtesy

The film is set in 1971, and it centers on the shifting priorities of a handsomely unkempt high-schooler (Clément Métayer) swept up in the nascent radicalism of the era. Early scenes depict this suburban teen attending student rallies and facing down baton-swinging riot cops during a thwarted demonstration. The period of this movie conveys of history as lived experience of the director. “Youth is a fantasy. It is something that always escapes from your fingers. You try to grasp it and it escapes,” Assayas says (Director of this movie)

This movie is a big-picture ideology that called for sweeping change was fragmented by countless micro-ideologies in irreconcilable conflict among all characters.  Politics is everything: the social struggle all-consuming. But Gilles (main character) gradually becomes more comfortable with his life choices and learns to feel at ease in this new society. In general is a burning dramatic and thematic intensity with great talented young actors. Two thumbs up for smart movies!