Festivals - FCAD 2024 : Michel Michel Hazanavicius Delivers a Poignant Tale in The Most Precious of Cargoes

By Mulder, Deauville, Centre International de Deauville, 11 september 2024

The 50th edition of the Deauville American Film Festival has been marked by an impressive array of cinematic masterpieces, but one film in particular captured the hearts and minds of attendees: Michel Michel Hazanavicius' animated drama The Most Precious of Cargoes. This emotionally charged and visually stunning film, set against the tumultuous backdrop of World War II, brings a poignant fairy tale to life, blending the darkness of history with the eternal light of human compassion.

Michel Hazanavicius, known for his award-winning work on The Artist, takes a bold leap into animation for the first time. In The Most Precious of Cargoes, he adapts Jean-Claude Grumberg’s deeply moving novel, transforming the written word into a vivid visual experience. The story follows a woodcutter's wife, living in a desolate forest consumed by cold and hunger, who finds and rescues a baby thrown from a train bound for Auschwitz. This baby, referred to as the "most precious of cargoes," becomes the heart of the tale, symbolizing both hope and the heavy weight of survival during one of the darkest periods in human history.

The film’s debut at Deauville was met with great anticipation, with many eager to see how Michel Hazanavicius would tackle such a sensitive and profound narrative through animation. The choice of this medium is an interesting one, allowing for a visual representation that combines the fairy tale atmosphere with the brutal realities of war. Michel Hazanavicius worked closely with animators, drawing the characters himself and creating a unique visual world that is both melancholic and haunting. His use of color and form brings an ethereal quality to the film, making the harsh environment of the forest seem both timeless and otherworldly.

The narrative unfolds with the help of the legendary Jean-Louis Trintignant, whose narration, recorded before his passing, adds a layer of depth and tenderness to the story. His voice guides the audience through the complexities of love, sacrifice, and the brutal moral choices faced by the characters. This was Trintignant’s final role, and his presence in the film leaves a lasting emotional imprint, echoing the weight of history and memory that the film seeks to explore.

The thematic core of The Most Precious of Cargoes revolves around the contrasts of human nature—the capacity for both incredible cruelty and selfless love. The woodcutter’s wife, portrayed in a voice-over by Dominique Blanc, defies the odds to protect this child, despite the risks involved, as the family faces the terrors of war head-on. Michel Hazanavicius manages to capture these themes in a way that feels timeless, making it clear that while the film is set during the Holocaust, its message about human resilience and compassion transcends its historical context.

The film has garnered a range of reactions from critics. Some have lauded its emotional depth and Michel Hazanavicius' brave choice to animate a story tied so closely to the horrors of the Holocaust, believing it breathes new life into a tale that might otherwise be too heavy for a more traditional live-action format. Others, however, have expressed reservations about the juxtaposition of animation with such a somber narrative, noting that the contrast might be jarring for some viewers. Despite the mixed reviews, the overwhelming consensus is that the film is a brave and innovative adaptation that contributes something unique to cinematic storytelling.

With its world premiere at Cannes in May 2024, The Most Precious of Cargoes has already begun to make waves across the festival circuit. As it continues its journey, it is sure to provoke further discussion about the role of animation in addressing complex historical narratives. The film’s official release in France is scheduled for November 2024, and it is poised to leave an indelible mark on audiences worldwide.

For those who attended the screening at Deauville, the experience was undoubtedly one of reflection and admiration for Michel Hazanavicius' bold creative choices. The Q&A session that followed the screening provided further insight into his artistic process, with Michel Hazanavicius sharing details about his collaboration with Grumberg and the challenges of translating such a weighty story into animation. 

Exclusive photos from the screening are available on our Flickr page, capturing the emotional atmosphere of the event here

Synopsis:
Once upon a time, in a big wood, there was a poor woodcutter and a poor woodcutter's wife. Cold, hunger, misery, and war all around them, made their lives very difficult. One day, the poor woodcutter took in a baby. A baby thrown from one of the many trains that constantly passed through their woods. Protected whatever the cost, this baby, this little commodity, is going to change the lives of this woman, her husband and all those who cross her path, right up to the man who threw her off the train. Their story will reveal the worst as well as the best of the human heart.

The Most Precious of Cargoes
Directed by Michel Michel Hazanavicius
Produced by Michel Michel Hazanavicius, Florence Gastaud, Robert Guédiguian, Christophe Jankovic, Riad Sattouf, Patrick Sobelman
Written by Michel Michel Hazanavicius, Jean-Claude Grumberg
Based on The Most Precious of Cargoes by Jean-Claude Grumberg
With Jean-Louis Trintignant, Grégory Gadebois, Denis Podalydès, Dominique Blanc
Music: Alexandre Desplat
Director of photography :
Montage : Laurent Pelé-Piovani
Production companies: Les Films du Fleuve, Prima Linea Productions, Studiocanal, Les Compagnons du Cinema, Ex Nihilo
Distributed by StudioCanal (France)
Release date: 24 May 2024 (Cannes), 20 November 2024 (France)
Running time: 81 minutes

Photos and video : Boris Colletier / Mulderville