L’île aux oiseaux

After a period of illness and isolation, Antonin, who suffers from constant exhaustion, starts working at a bird rescue centre. While he learns the tricks of the trade, he rediscovers the world around him through the birds and the people who care for them, waiting to spread his wings. As a viewer, we adopt the calm, ornithologist’s perspective and view the quotidian poetry of, say, a swan shedding a tear during surgery or a small bird carefully exploring a piece of apple. Injured birds and lost souls therefore seem intrinsically connected: man and beast receive equal levels of attention.

Oscillating between documentary and staging, a Bresson-like microcosm develops in which nature is as brutal as it is beautiful. Minimalist motion and dialogue, complemented by soft colours and the use of the intimate 4:3 format, depict the fragility of the birds and Antonin with just as much emotion.

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