Every day, Bertrand scrupulously monitors his blood sugar level and
blood pressure. Every day, he meticulously irons the white shirt he
wears with his black suit. Every day, he breakfasts on fried egg yolks
and sliced white bread. And every day, he briefly ventures out with his
camera, photographing random young women to compile his fake memories.
One day, he even offers one of them $ 500 for her coat. Since returning
from Afghanistan with a leg injury, this French-born former soldier has
had trouble coming to grips with reality and overcoming his loneliness.
On the heels of Sur la trace d’Igor Rizzi and The Kate Logan Affair,
Noël Mitrani once again works with his favourite actor, Laurent Lucas,
casting him in a complex, murky role as a soldier adrift. Inhabiting
every shot with his undeniable presence, he’s the vulnerable and elusive
backbone of this minimalist psychological thriller. An entirely
independent production shot guerrilla-style in two weeks on the streets
of Montréal in Super 16, Le militaire pulls the audience into a
troubling downward spiral of paranoia.
– Helen Faradji
Festival du Nouveau Cinéma
