PERSECUTION

A film by Patrice Chéreau

Cast : Romain Duris, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Jean-Hugues Anglade

2009 / drama / original title : PERSÉCUTION / 90’ / Color / status : completed / long feature-film / International collections

His friends regard Daniel as a guy who is doing well and who always manages to make it through. No matter what. He makes it through the battle to provide for himself, through dangerous situations that demand quick reflexes and a very cool head. Lately he seems to need all the strength he can get in order to confront this guy who has been harassing him, a guy who appeared out of nowhere and who seems to think that Daniel is a gift from God and the man of his dreams. Harassment, i.e. following him in the streets, studying his daily routines, intruding in Daniel’s building sites. Daniel is renovating an apartment for a friend and at first he believes he is alone. But from the very beginning, they are two.Daniel finds work regularly, always in different places. He stops working and he goes back to work as he wishes. At times it’s tough, but he doesn’t complain. But there are moments when Daniel rages and complains: Sonia. Whom he has loved for three years. And who loves him back. Sonia gives him very little reason to worry or doubt. But then on certain days, when she’s there, within a few seconds certainty goes out the window. Daniel’s worrying takes over as does his anger, which pushes him to be unfair, to persecute and to take on that hostile and hateful look. Grief invades everything. This might be what Sonia recognized in him right away. What made her love him. But it’s also what is now putting an insurmountable wall between them. And again Daniel’s life is wrecked by the regular appearances of this guy who now has an opinion on everything and especially on love. He who suffers too much for loving – without persecuting – the woman he has chosen.

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