In a naive attempt to connect with local film buffs, I joined a film society in a neighbouring town, where I quickly discovered, to my disappointment, a sea of grey-haired patrons. However, my social awkwardness allowed me to stay for the evening’s feature, Incendies, which was new to DVD at the time. Two formats later, Denis Villeneuve’s harrowing drama has just made its 4K Ultra HD debut under 101 Films in the UK.
At the wish of their recently deceased mother, twins travel to the Middle East to uncover their family history.
How much can the human spirit endure before one’s humanity is extinguished? That’s the question posed by our heroine, Nawal Marwan (Lubna Azabal). Mother, student activist, assassin, and prisoner. Nawal suffers under the rigidness of cultural traditions and the displacement of civil war through her search for her first-born child, fathered by a refugee.
Incendies explores in graphic detail the barbaric nature of open conflict that’s born from religious indifference between a nation’s citizens and governments. However, as we witness key characters in our story switching sides or allegiances, it speaks to the fundamental idea that while people can have different causes, we’re all people just the same.
With a dual narrative that drifts seamlessly from the present day to Nawal’s past, the two timelines each carry their own mystery, where they later collide to devastating effect. While the overall experience of Incendies is sombre at best, the perseverance of our main protagonist and her ability to separate feelings associated with past trauma from maternal instinct and love is a moving sentiment for the viewer to leave with.
SPECIAL FEATURES
- Remembering The Ashes: Incendies Through Their Eyes
- Commentary with Denis Villeneuve
- Interview with Denis Villeneuve
- Q&A with director Denis Villeneuve
- Limited edition booklet includes: ‘The Empathy and Alchemy of Denis Villeneuve’ by Rich Johnson, ‘Symphony for the Devil: Finding the Darkness of Denis Villeneuve’s Incendies’ by James Mottram and printed Q&A with director Denis Villeneuve from
Venice 2010
Like with many 101 releases, the special features for Incendies are ported from previous Blu-ray editions–but it’s always nice to have everything in one place! Most extensive is the “Remembering the Ashes” supplement which runs for around 45 minutes and includes B-roll footage and insightful interviews with locals who hung around the film set. Unfortunately, the interview with Denis Villeneuve is text only, but the Q&A with the director fills in for a traditional sit-down nicely despite its brief runtime. – by Hannah Lynch
VIDEO AND AUDIO
If you’re new to the world of 4K Ultra HD, Incendies isn’t an obvious choice to showcase the format, but the superior picture clarity is evident through Villeneuve’s signature style of cinematography, which allows you to take in the geography and all its details. Muted colour accentuates not only the dry climate of the Middle East but also the very sobering mood that lingers throughout the story. However, the lack of deep blacks tends to give a washed-out look to the 1.85:1 image during indoor scenes.
DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 is exceptional quality and despite the soundtrack not being the most immersive, it’s a very well-balanced track and the dialogue volume is not drowned out at any point. English subtitles are included.
Incendies is not an uplifting film by any means, but the skill with which it was made deserves much praise. Villeneuve is a patient director in his approach to storytelling allowing the viewer to absorb film gradually. 101’s release is a complement to his prowess as a filmmaker.
INCENDIES
(2010, Director: Denis Villeneuve)
★★★★
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