Modern Life review

Slow but beautiful documentary about the french farming community

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The prospect of a melancholic French documentary on struggling farmers in the remote Cevennes region may not exactly quicken the pulse, but the beautifully shot Modern Life is a richly compassionate tribute to its hardy subjects and their slowly vanishing way of life.

The director – Pulitzer-winning photographer Raymond Depardon – revisits over several seasons the individuals that he met in his earlier Profils Paysans films.

The likes of the octogenarian Privat brothers Marcel and Raymond and their nephew Alain aren’t the most talkative types, but Depardon again proves to be a respectful and empathetic interviewer.

Tom Dawson

The Total Film team are made up of the finest minds in all of film journalism. They are: Editor Jane Crowther, Deputy Editor Matt Maytum, Reviews Ed Matthew Leyland, News Editor Jordan Farley, and Online Editor Emily Murray. Expect exclusive news, reviews, features, and more from the team behind the smarter movie magazine. 

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