OVID.tv Presents THIS IS OUR LAND Film Review — One Woman’s Journey into Fascism

The establishing shot is long and wide, showing a foreign but familiar sight. A large political rally, with French flags and a woman at the podium. She speaks of nationalist talking points, condemning immigration and preaching a more French France. People clap and agree with her speech. At its conclusion, they stand and she, with school children next to her, leads them in singing the French National Anthem. As extravagant a sight as this is, our focus is not really on the one leading this rally its enthusiastic throng. Rather, the camera points us to one normal looking woman in the crowd.

This is Our Land, directed by Lucas Belvaux, is a French take on a very familiar subject — the rise, and indoctrination into alt-right beliefs. The story focuses on a nurse named Pauline Duhez (Emilie Duquenne) and by extension a small French town called Hénart. She visits an old colleague of hers, Doctor Berthier (André Dussollier), who had helped her in the past, and he asks her to be a mayoral candidate for the party he is in. She is someone who has no real stake in politics. As she feels truly overwhelmed by her life as it is, she decides to take him up on the offer.

Quickly she is swept into the alt-right and surrounded by people with ultra nationalist beliefs—from the leader of Doctor Berthier’s party, to Agnés Dorgelle (Catherine Jacob), her friend Nathalie (Anne Marivin), to her son who encourages this line of thinking, and to her boyfriend, Stephane (Guillaume Gouix). She has become part of a violent nationalist group. She finds herself having to reconcile her previous life with the person she is becoming.

Ovid.tv Film Takes Us Down The Rabbit Hole of Alt Right Ideas

This Is Our Land looks at how easy it can be for just anyone to become convinced by nationalist ideology. The camera work aids our understanding of the story. When Doctor Berthier speaks to Pauline about Dorgelle and her party, he is passionate but good-natured. He is surrounded by warm colors and is level with Pauline, both having mirroring shots that show her listening intently to what he has to say. Later, when Pauline finally meets Dorgelle, we, like Pauline. feel that Dorgelle is nice. She speaks softly, and emphasizes the love for her country rather than hatred for a group of people. As Pauline listens to her, they are level, with lots of close up shots. You might agree with this reviewer that the scene feels comfortable —if you don’t listen to what is being said.

This is Our Land came out in 2017, around the time of the French elections. The main alt-right party pictured here has many parallels to France’s own experience in far-right politics, specifically in the then candidate Marine Le Pen. Like Le Pen, Agnés Dorgelle (played by Catherine Jacob) is a daughter of a far-right politician. They both took up their father’s mantel to run on a platform of nationalism that demonizes the immigrant population. In this writer’s view, the film is not about Le Pen, or any larger political organization, but rather about those who got caught up in her type message.

This is Our Land is recommended for anyone who loves political films and is looking for something in the foreign film department. This is especially so after recent events that may have us wanting answers. It’s a deep dive into a mindset that we may be familiar with, but also does through a more French lens.

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Run time: 1 Hour 57 Minutes
CAST
Emilie Duquenne as Pauline Duhez
André Dussollier as Phillippe Berthier
Guillaume Gouix as Stephane Stankowiak
Catherine Jacob as Agnés Dorgelle
Anne Marivin as Nathalie Dumont
Charlotte Talpaert as Nada Belisha
Patrick Descamps as Jacques Duhez

CREATIVE TEAM:
Director: Lucas Belvaux
Producers: David Frenkel and Patrick Quinet
Associate Producers: Arlette Zylberberg and Philippe Logie
Writers: Lucas Belvaux and Jérôme Leroy
Casting: Okinawa Guerard and Christine Duquesne
Assistant casting: Pierre Augustin Cren

For more information or to watch the film, visit the Ovid.tv page for This is our Land.

Images courtesy of OVID.tv