In the City of Sylvia

France 2007, 84 minutes
Dir. José Luis Guerín
In French with English subtitles
Rating: [PG]
Genres: Foreign Cinema, Drama

Feat. Xavier Lafitte, Pilar López de Ayala

Aroview: A bouquet of visual and aural pleasures, this sensually shot mood-piece follows an unnamed artist who in turn ‘stalks’ a fetching young woman throughout the streets of French postcard destination Strasbourg.

More innocuous than it sounds, the film combines delicate, feather-light photography with the workings of a languidly paced ‘chase movie’ to gorgeous effect. Dir. Guerin’s eye for the aesthetically pleasing, including Strasbourg’s rich architecture and abundance of beautiful people, thankfully distracts from the voyeuristic undertones that occasionally creep through.

NZ International Film Festival 2008