Forum screening - review - SCRAP YARD (Casse) by Nadège Trebal

Migration was a favoured theme at this year’s Berlinale, as much as it is a favoured theme in modern cinema in general. And it is only right it should be, as borders evaporate and more and more people are forced to migrate for work or quite simply for a better life. This theme, however, comes through in a very naturalistic way in Trebal’s documentary set in the titular French scrap yard where men and the occasional woman and kid, most of different cultural background regularly meet up to look for car parts, yes, but also to have a good old chat. 

 

In many ways, the meetings between them is so friendly and loose that it truly feels like an ordinary social event, similar to getting a cup of coffee at the local café or a drink at the local bar. The naturalistic feeling of Scrap Yard, never leaves the film, also thanks to the individual and somewhat colourful subjects that filmmaker Nadége Trebal chooses to follow. Thus, these men talk very ordinarily about their dealings with integration, and even reveal personal stories about their family or, in a more hard hitting way, about the horrors of their nightmarish journeys to France from Africa. 

 

All the while, the camera remains mostly quite close to the subject and also highlights some details that show an eye for detail that underlines some of the anecdotes and things that the men are saying. But overall, it is beautiful simplicity that takes nothing away from the subject’s words. 

 

Although one can always question the neutrality of the camera in documentary filmmaking, there is no doubt that Trebal is absolutely successful at making a film that is at one with its setting and allows it to flourish naturally on the cinema screen, just as much as there is no questioning the fact that she films her individual subjects in a way that is sensitive and never intrusive. That is why, the film is so engaging and even occasionally funny despite dealing with delicate themes and issues.

 

 

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