L'Hiver dernier (2012)
Directed by John Shank

Film Review

For his feature debut director John Shank takes his inspiration from the classic Hollywood western (the films of John Ford, Elia Kazan and Terrence Malick being obvious points of reference) and crafts a timeless cinematic poem that could hardly be more pertinent for our times.  L'Hiver dernier (a.k.a. Last Winter) is a sombre, intensely lyrical film that compels us to reflect on the uncomfortable economic realities of our era, on how the forces of capitalism are slowly but surely eroding the bond between Man and the natural world, driving him from the unspoiled Eden into which he was born. 

In a similar vein to Raymond Depardon's remarkable documentary La Vie moderne (2008), the film paints an uncompromisingly unromantic picture of dedicated farmers struggling to preserve an ancient and noble tradition in the face of unremitting commercial pressures that stem from the unstoppable globalisation and industrialisation of agriculture.  Shank's film alludes to one of the most worrying developments in farming in recent years - the prospect that most small livestock holdings will end up as nurseries, existing simply to breed livestock for a handful of gigantic factory farms.  It is not only conventional farming methods that face extinction.  This could also be the beginning of the end of our countryside.

L'Hiver dernier may be a Franco-Belgian production, but it has an unmistakable American twang to it, its elegiac use of landscape and the placing of characters within this landscape (as if they had been there since the beginning of time) being particularly redolent of the films of John Ford and the novels of John Steinbeck.  No surprise then that John Shank was born in Indiana, whence presumably derives his interest in farming and wide open spaces.  Shank moved to rural Belgium with his family when he was six years old and his love of the countryside and rural traditions is very much in evidence in his first short film, Un veau pleurait, la nuit (2000).  Shank's affinity for landscape is even more visible in the lyricism and austere beauty of his first feature, which captures the ethos of the old western and reworks it into a modern morality tale that contains a cogent appeal for all mankind.

Vincent Rottiers is the perfect casting choice for the central protagonist Johann, a young (somewhat reluctant) farmer who comes up against overwhelming challenges as he tries to preserve the family farm he has inherited from his father.  In both his physique and his instinctive acting style, Rottiers has much in common with screen legend James Dean, and the shot in which he appears nonchalently with a rifle slung across his shoulders spookily recalls Dean's famous pose from Giant (1956).  Rottiers may have none of Dean's adolescent warmth but he matches that actor's penchant for troubled introspection.  Despite the dearth of dialogue, Rottiers has no difficulty expressing the internal conflict that assails his character throughout the film, as he struggles with adversity on all fronts.  Reminiscent of the lone cowboy hero of the great westerns, Rottiers' portrayal of a young man determined to hold onto his principles, come what may, whilst being visibly traumatised by his experiences, is both poignant and inspiring. 

A strong central performance from Vincent Rottiers, complemented by arresting supporting contributions from Anaïs Demoustier, Aurore Clément and Michel Subor, help to make L'Hiver dernier a stark, contemplative film that powerfully reflects the choice facing mankind today.  Do we want to live freely as individuals or as mere slaves to an ever-greedy moneymaking machine?  Do we want to preserve the paradise we have inherited or sell up for a fast buck and an easier life?  Perhaps it is already too late to decide...

Film Synopsis

On a remote plateau, Johann struggles to keep going the farm that he has inherited from his father.  As winter beckons, his business looks increasingly threatened.  The young farmer begins to feel trapped by his inheritance but he tries his best to love the hard, solitary world that he now inhabits.  Alas, the world is changing and Johann's way of life is soon to become a thing of the past...