According to Marshall McLuhan, movies are characterized by a sensory richness that requires little active participation from its viewers - just sit back and let the magic wash over you. However, Arnaud Desplechin's docufiction, Filmlovers! (Spectateurs!), proposes a different perspective, asserting that moviegoers are an essential component of the cinematic experience.
Overflowing with passion for cinema, Desplechin's first feature since Brother and Sister references over 50 films, not to appreciate the filmmakers, but to pay tribute to the watchers - the enthusiasts. In his idealistic view, the cinema is "the most democratic place there is."
Desplechin's respect for the audience as a community he belongs to is evident throughout his film. One poignant section features interviews with anonymous moviegoers, who share their memories of the first film they saw, films they’ve repeatedly viewed, whether they've cried at the cinema, and where they prefer to sit in the theater.
With a mix of autobiographical vignettes and film theory discussions, Filmlovers! moves between time and place, guided by the voiceover narration of Desplechin and his frequent collaborator, Mathieu Amalric. Graced by Noé Bach’s dream-like cinematography and Grégoire Hetzel’s elegant score, the film is, above all, a personal exploration of a lifelong love of cinema.
While acknowledging the influential contributions of American and French cinema, as well as posing discussions around spectacle and surveillance, the film is not burdened by theory. Instead, it is a deeply personal journey through a lifetime’s devotion to the art of film.
Amongst the nods to cinematic history are tributes to departed figures Desplechin admired, including actor Misty Upham and filmmaker Claude Lanzmann. He also visits Tel Aviv to thank literary critic Shoshana Felman for her article about Lanzmann’s Shoah, resulting in a profound conversation devoid of dogma.
In its entirety, Filmlovers! offers a touching tribute to cinema. Made palpable in the heartfelt testimonies of numerous moviegoers, the film underscores the transformative potential of cinema. Desplechin affirms that regardless of our viewing platform, the cinema screen remains a place where reality, once transformed, shines with meaning.
