At some point in time, you must have watched on the screen astronauts tumbling into the darkness of space never to be seen again. In “Meanwhile on Earth” Franck Martens and his crew suffer a mishap and all spin off into the blackness. Martens is a national hero in France.
Martens’ sister Elsa (Megan Northam) suffers this tragic loss but one evening near a cell tower she hears the voice of Martens explaining that he floats in space and they are watching me and that I will die here they say unless you can create a path to bring me back. Elsa is told if she puts a seed in her ear which she sees glowing on the ground in front of her looking like a human sperm she will be better able to communicate with Martens. She inserts the glowing luminescent seed into her ear which turns to goo when she attempts to remove it causing a severe nosebleed. And one of them now speaks to Elsa saying tell no one about this. Elsa’s actions are not controlled by them but the voice continually “guides” her.
They speak to Elsa who is to assist them in establishing this all-important path to earth. The deal, if I can call it that, is for Elsa to select five humans who will follow the path and return as they left but are in fact these aliens who will come to earth with less than benevolent intent. Martens will then be returned to earth. Elsa has scant time to select the “victims” for transport along the path. In the process the victims will feel nothing. A painless death.
Who does Elsa choose to be dragged into space on this path? What are the criteria for her selection? Is it those who have no path in life like herself? Is it the aged with a path leading to proximate death? Is it depraved criminals? Is it the addiction ravaged?
Elsa struggles with the momentous decisions she must make. A standout performance by Northam in a style reminiscent of Romanian actress Ilinca Manolache in the 2024 Film “Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World”.
A sophisticated alien plot not full of wild cinematography but a quieter intellectual journey.
Haunting and chilling music from the Beethoven Academy Orchestra of Cracovie and occasional and innovative use of animation from Xilam animation studios in France.
Directed and written by Jérémy Clapin who was nominated for an Oscar in 2020 for Best Animated Feature Film “I Lost My Body”.
You may watch the trailer here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAW_VTc6qTA
RKS 2024 Film Rating 93/100.
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