Sublime aesthetics in Philippe Grandrieux's Un lac

In this article, I assess Philippe Grandrieux's Un lac (2008) through the lens of the sublime. I offer a formal analysis of the film supported by contemporary theorists who have previously articulated the stakes of Grandrieux's work in the tradition of narrative cinema. Similar to prior research, my work sets out to understand Grandrieux's aesthetics and how his filmmaking attempts to engage spectators' sensory engagements and alter their perceptions of film. Where I diverge is in demonstrating how the theory of the sublime is useful for theoretical understandings of Grandrieux's films and experimentations with narrative cinema more generally. Specifically, I turn to Un lac's protagonist Alexi as an anchor to unpack Grandrieux's experimental cinematography, editing, and sound. Following this, I examine the film through Cynthia A. Freeland's conceptualization of sublime cinema. I conclude that the snowy landscapes, overwhelming woods, treacherous weather, and fragile bodies in the film work to diminish and dismantle the human figure. I draw on recent theories of cinema and affect to argue that the sublime encourages us to rethink our ontological presuppositions - Un lac posits an alternative to anthropocentrism.

Automated summary

This article assesses Philippe Grandrieux's film "Un lac" from the perspective of the sublime. The author offers a formal analysis of the film and explores Grandrieux's aesthetics and his attempt to alter viewers' perceptions of film. The unique contribution of this article lies in its application of sublime theory to understand Grandrieux's films and his experimentation with narrative cinema. By examining the protagonist and elements of the film, the author concludes that "Un lac" presents an alternative to anthropocentrism through its portrayal of snowy landscapes, overwhelming woods, treacherous weather, and fragile bodies.