It would have been better to get this trailer out there early yesterday, with all the talk of the Cannes Film Festival, but now I guess will have to do as Sundance Selects has released the official trailer for last year’s Jury Prize winner at the Cannes Film Festival, Polisse, written and directed by someone you are probably more familiar with as the Diva Plavalaguna in The Fifth Element, Maiwenn Le Besco.
I saw my review, it “plays like a documentary, or a hard-hitting two hour premiere to a new cable police procedural, which we all now know is in no way an insult.”
Of course, with police procedurals what they are here in the States it’s hard to find traction for anything outside of the CBS and NBC primetime slot, but this plays like something you would find on HBO, not your local network channels. Here are a couple of paragraphs from my review, which you can read in full right here.
Co-writer and director Maiwenn Le Besco has crafted a story focused on the CPU with a dedication to realism as it places the daily life of ten CPU agents under the microscope. Trouble at home, trouble with co-workers and all their joys, disappointments and successes are on display. With each new scene comes a new emotion. Polisse is so tightly edited you’re barely given a moment to breathe as it moves from one story to the next and by the time it’s over you’ll be surprised two hours has already gone by.
The politics of the story are enough for several more hours of content including the working relationship between the CPU unit and other departments within the French police. Alternatively, a lunchtime conversation turns to politics and talk of French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s involvement, or an argued lack thereof, in the police department and the public perception as a result.
It was eventually nominated for 13 Cesar Awards (the French equivalent to the Oscars), which tied for the most nominations ever and went on to win two for best female newcomer (Naidra Ayadi) and editing.
Polissee hits limited theaters on May 18 and then On Demand on May 25 and my suggestion is to catch it if you can because I’m not quite sure this trailer is going to sell it, especially the level of camaraderie, joy, disappointment, discouragement, happiness, sadness, everything this film has to offer. It felt raw and real to me and I was entranced by it.
Here’s the trailer.
