| Direct Action | |
| Cinematography: | Ben Russell |
| Distributor: | Shellac |
| Runtime: | 216 minutes |
Direct Action is a 2024 French–German documentary film directed by Guillaume Cailleau and Ben Russell. Taking its title from the tactical protest strategy of the same name, the film is a modern portrait of one of the most important militant activist communities in France.[1] [2]
It was selected in the Encounters at the 74th Berlin International Film Festival, where it had its world premiere on 21 February 2024,[3] and won Encounters Golden Bear Plaque for Best Film. The film was also nominated for the Berlinale Documentary Film Award, and got a Special Mention from jury.
Direct action is a tactical strategy of protest that seeks to achieve an end directly and by the most effective means.
The documentary film is a result of long-term immersive work, in the line of Jean Rouch as well as Chantal Akerman. It is a contemporary portrait of one of the most notorious and militant activist groups in France: a rural community of 150 people who fought off an international airport project in 2018, established a self-governing zone from 2012 to 2018, endured several brutal attempts of eviction by the French authorities and gave rise to a new environmental movement in 2021. The film uses a cooperative and immersive method to capture the daily lives of a varied network of activists, squatters, anarchists, farmers and those branded by the government as “eco-terrorists”. Does the success of such a radical protest movement provide a way to deal with the climate crisis?
The film is produced by CASKFILMS and Volte Film and distributed by Shellac.[4] The film is made in collaboration with Jeonju International Film Festival (Jeonju Cinema Project), funded by Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée, Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, Region Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, and National Centre for Visual Arts.[5]
Direct Action had its world premiere on 21 February 2024, as part of the 74th Berlin International Film Festival, in Encounters.[6] [7]
The film competed in the 46th Cinéma du Réel Festival competition that took place from 22 to March 31 2024 in Paris.[8] It was first screened on 24 March 2024 in the festival.[9]
It will be released in French theaters on 20 November 2024 by Shellac films.[10]
Fabien Lemercier reviewing the film at Berlinale for Cineuropa wrote, "Ben Russell and Guillaume Cailleau immerse themselves in the Zadist movement based in Notre-Dame-des-Landes for a hypnotic documentary featuring radical artist parties." Commenting on the length of the film Lemercier wrote, "Overall, the film does require a little patience," but then praising the cinematographer he stated, "it proves to be a magnetic cinematographic approach depicting the diversity and firmly entrenched identity of a group of activists living (and acting) in accordance with their beliefs." Concluding Lemercier wrote, "it’s first and foremost an original artistic gesture which is perfectly in keeping with its subject-matter, like a lookout creating their own space-time."[11]
| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Berlin International Film Festival | 25 February 2024 | Encounters Golden Bear Plaque for Best Film | Guillaume Cailleau and Ben Russell | [12] [13] | |
| Berlinale Documentary Film Award: Special Mention | [14] [15] | ||||
| Cinéma du Réel | 2 April 2024 | Cinéma du réel Grand Prix | Direct Action | [16] | |