12/45
Narrative
It follows the final days of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette before they were executed
The title comes from the famous phrase “après moi, le déluge”, attributed to Louis XV, King of France.
He is said to have uttered it towards the end of his reign, referring to the chaos that would follow his death
The phrase reflects a fatalistic attitude towards the challenges that would befall France, such as those that culminated in the French Revolution during the reign of his successor, Louis XVI.
The film depicts the months that the French royal family spent in captivity during the trial of Louis XVI
It is structured in three acts, each characterized by a distinct directing style: the first act is detached and elegant, the second is dynamic and dramatic, while the third is more introspective, reflecting the descent of royalty from god-like figures to victims.
It is definitely worth watching
Well-made and superbly acted, the film offers thought-provoking material about the tension between nature and reason, the hypocrisy of all ideologies, and the unchanging nature of the human condition, even in the most extraordinary circumstances.