If I have anything to do with it, Oscar-winning director Michel Hazanavicius’ animated masterpiece will soon come to US cinemas so that you too can experience this gem in all its actuality, poignancy and beauty.
In early April of this year, I found myself moderating a Q&A with the award winning French filmmaker Michel Hazanavicius, who has been an idol of mine since watching his Oscar-winning film The Artist. A silent, black and white film starring then internationally unknown French actor Jean Dujardin and the director’s beautiful real-life wife Bérénice Bejo, the film swept awards season that year, but also is one of those undeniable wonders that defies all expectations and remains hauntingly in one’s heart. Images from The Artist pop up for me almost on a weekly basis, many years after first watching it and yes, every time I come across a Jack Russell terrier of course. And when those memories get to be too much, I simply use my Amazon Prime subscription and watch the film again.
I then visited most of Hazanavicius’ previous work, once I realized his long-standing collaboration with Dujardin had also brought about some charming comedies like OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies, a spoof of James Bond films, and followed his career in the years following his Oscar win, which included a film about Jean-Luc Godard (Redoubtable) and a zombie comedy (Final Cut). So when I heard I was moderating the Q&A with him at London’s Ciné Lumière, I was over the moon. The chance to ask questions, delve deeper into his filmmaking influences as well as finally getting to watch his latest, The Most Precious of Cargoes (‘La Plus Précieuse des marchandises’ in French) which premiered in Cannes in 2024 after I’d left the Croisette, was one of those unmissable opportunities that come along as a cherished reward for one’s constant and hard work.
Michel Hazanavicius and I chat at the Ciné Lumière in London, during a special screening of ‘The Most Precious of Cargoes’, photo © Diane Gabrysiak
What I wasn’t prepared for was Hazanavicius’ latest to be such an outstanding masterpiece, which has not only taken up a special place in my heart, alongside The Artist of course, but also moved me so deeply, I often had to stop the film (I watched it on a screener to prepare) and breathe. Those who get to watch it on the big screen don’t have that luxury, but trust me, mine was a bit of a copout and I wish now I could go back and face my cowardice head on. Hazanavicius has often admitted in interviews that he never wanted to make a film about the Holocaust, hailing himself from a Jewish, Polish/Lithuanian background and that the animation angle, the ability to tell so much without weighing it down with dramatic performances, was the reason he committed to this project. Listen to more of his reasons in the video below.
So what makes The Most Precious of Cargoes so deeply moving? The film is adapted from Jean-Claude Grumberg’s 2019 short novel by the same name and features a script co-written by Hazanavicius and the French playwright. It tells the story of a woodcutter’s wife who one day, finds a crying baby in the snow. The little girl was thrown out of a train by her father, a man who, along with his family, is on his way to a concentration camp. Through quiet hints, without mentioning events or places and employing breathtaking animation based on Hazanavicius’ own drawings, the film allows us to understand all the sides of those who lived at the time of the Holocaust, from those who were persecuted, to those who just stood by and watched. Because the worst evil perpetrated in this world is the one done by those who don’t move a finger to save their fellow humans, or point their finger and accuse without a true knowledge of the ongoing tragedy. Sound familiar? Well yes, so perhaps that is why most distributors in the US have not dared to touch this story, made by a Jewish filmmaker, which actually explains so many world conflicts and the ability of evil leaders to always get their way. Unquestioned.
As if all the above wasn’t enough to tickle your fancy and make you crave to watch The Most Precious of Cargoes, the film also features the last performance by the late French acting legend Jean-Louis Trintignant as the narrator.
While we were waiting for the film to screen, I helped out behind the scenes in getting Hazanavicius to talk a bit about the film, for the Ciné Lumière’s social media team. And I recorded our on-stage conversation, which someone admitted was so electrifying, she had trouble falling asleep later that evening. One day, I’ll share that chat with you, because it truly was something special.
As if you haven’t guessed already, this was the highlight of my year so far, surpassing any and all interviews I may have conducted as a journalist. Because the short time I got to spend with the filmmaker and the team from StudioCanal, the company that distributed the film in the UK earlier this year, brought me into an inner circle that I’m seldom a part of when I wear my media hat.
For those in the UK, the film will screen again in October, at the Ciné Lumière and you can get your tickets here.
But for those in the US, perhaps it’s time to begin making some noise, so that distributors and exhibitors don’t make decisions for us as far as what we should and what we shouldn’t watch.
Because those decisions ultimately lead to the dumbing down of audiences, and in the process, also create a very limited pool of films participating in the frenzy of awards season, later in the year. Cinema is a wondrous land of possibilities, where fantasy and reality meet to create something that makes us better, one bright burst of light projected on the screen at a time. Let’s harness that incredible energy to help make our world, our community, and our own lives better.
All images used with permission.