Les Amours D'Astree et Celadon

Another delightful example of literary cinema; another essay in classicism. This year the Venice Film Festival treats the audience with a range of thought-provoking works that reflect on the history of cinema and other arts. The latest example is Eric Rohmer’s Les Amours d’Astrée Et Céladon, a pastoral romantic drama taken from L’Astrée by Honoré d’Urfé, a milestone in French literature written in the 17th century.

Rohmer, 87 years old but still blessed with a young and fresh spirit, has gathered a group of young, unknown actors whose interplay is perfect in balance and levity.
Shepherdess Astrée and shepherd Céladon are in love, but her jealousy eventually provokes him to attempt suicide.

But he is rescued by three nymphs and then hides in a hut in the forest.

With the help of a druid, the uncle of nymph Léonide, Céladon will find Astrée and, disguised as a girl, win her back.
The two lovers will never separate again.

At first, it is hard to believe what we see: the characters are clad in period clothes, yet they behave like modern people:  guys that you see on the street everyday.

And the way they go through life is modern too: the plot touches on subjects including transvestitism and homosexuality, together with timeless issues such as faithfulness, love and even the difference between the pagan polytheist religion and the monotheist religion.

All this was in d’Urfé’s novel, but Rohmer’s trademark lightness of touch choreograhps  these themes into a graceful dance; the ponderous classic book is thus transformed into a love story that transcends all ages.

The final meaning of the story is the usual one: love always triumphs.

But this fairytale is not at all cheesy or superficial, and it makes you really care for the fate of the characters, which is getting harder and harder with all the melodramas we have to watch in these Festival days.

Hopefully Eric Rohmer will enchant us again with his craft and his sweetness: and hopefully the tale of the two lovers will enchant the Jury too. 

See interview with Cecile Cassel and Andy Gillet, who play Astee and Celadon

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