you keep waiting for something to happen and then realize it’s been happening the whole time
Directed by Claire Denis
Beau Travail
An acclaimed, atmospheric drama.
Drama
2000
1h 33m
4.1(150k)via LetterboxdDenis Lavant + 4 more
Foreign Legion officer Galoup recalls his once glorious life, training troops in the Gulf of Djibouti. His existence there was happy, strict and regimented, until the arrival of a promising young recruit, Sentain, plants the seeds of jealousy in Galoup's mind.
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Cast & crew
6What people say
Denis poeticizes the potentially reductive. Through her lens, it is colonialism that seems tribal and primitive to watching natives, and sexual repression rather than inhibition that corrodes the mind. The hard flesh of soldiers becomes part of the landscape, eroding their humanity into yet more sand for the desert. Only when it's too late can one finally join in the dance.
this is the rhythm of the night
Common questions
What is Beau Travail about?+
Foreign Legion officer Galoup reflects on his structured life in Djibouti until the arrival of a charismatic new recruit disrupts his psychological equilibrium.
Who directed Beau Travail?+
Claire Denis directed the 1999 French drama, celebrated for its unique visual style and exploration of repressed desire.
Has Beau Travail won any awards?+
While it did not sweep major festival prizes upon release, it has since achieved canonical status and topped numerous critics' polls as one of the greatest films of its era.
