Apocalypse Child

Crystal waves, clear beaches, sun-drenched skin, the sleepy atmosphere of the end of the season. The location is Baler, the place where Francis Ford Coppola spent several months three decades ago shooting ApocalypseNow. Today, it is an oasis for surfers, one of whom is Ford-a name that, not without reason, brings the director to mind. Approaching his forties, Ford is a hipster who spends time with his spirited, direct girlfriend. An old friend of Ford's comes to visit, along with his fiancée, who looks like she could be a model. The visit forces the protagonists to confront their past: it turns out that growing up is more difficult than surfing the waves. Images saturated with diffuse light; natural, unforced performances; and unhurried editing make it possible to avoid literalism. The melancholic beauty of the cinematography is complemented by the atmospheric music of Armi Millare from the indie-rock group Up Dharma Down. The whole makes for a perfectly emotionally balanced, mature work that has a strong impact on the senses.