Bold, sensual and frequently controversial, the cinema of celebrated French auteur Denis is one of defiant individualism. She’s fascinated by marginalised, rootless figures, drawing attention to the pleasures and problems of belonging, otherness and the consequences that inevitably arise from intolerance.
Whether she’s exploring the impact of colonialism (Chocolat; Beau Travail; White Material), the poetics of desire (Trouble Every Day; Vendredi soir) or the complications of vengeance (Bastards), Denis is drawn to the raw intimacy of her characters and the sensual world that surrounds and often threatens to engulf them.
Her elliptical style takes some getting used to. She’s known for eschewing dialogue in favour of crafting textures and abstract rhythms. But for those willing to forgo conventional storytelling, there’s a beautiful and devastating quality to her films that can be liberating to behold.
New to Claire Denis? Read more of Amy Sommons' introduction to the director Here.