Robert Bresson's Balthazar (1966) is a film about a donkey and the people around him. The multiple narratives of the different owners are constantly intertwined and the final result is very dense and astonishing. Through these storylines Bresson gives us a strong depiction of what he considers to be the current human condition (a term I had to use even though it is quite pretentious).
Bresson's minimalism is unforgettable for me. The extremely restrained acting, simplistic editing, gorgeous photography and the elliptical narrative provide the viewers with a weird feeling: even though we witness horrible things, we are filled with lingering sadness instead of anger. The film isn't depressing, however, but it is haunting.
Balthazar is a film that I have to watch again once in a while. It is hard to digest and it took me a while to understand it, but in the end it is a really rewarding cinematic experience.
Score: 10 out of 10
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