Étienne: A quiet, dusty look at growing up

Is it worth your time?

Honestly, you probably know if you’ll dig Étienne within the first ten minutes. If you’re the type who likes things to move, you might struggle here. But if you’re a sucker for older films that just let a scene breathe—sometimes to the point of holding its breath—you’ll find something to latch onto.

It’s not for the impatient, that’s for sure. If you get twitchy when a movie doesn't have a clear goal, stay away. Everyone else? Give it a shot.

Notes from the couch

The pacing is… well, it’s a choice. There’s a specific sequence where Étienne is just walking through the house, and I swear the camera operator forgot to call cut. It goes on so long it feels less like cinema and more like I was just hanging out in someone’s hallway in the 1930s. It’s weirdly hypnotic, though.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Étienne (1933) through its definitive frames.

I couldn't help but think about how much more grounded this feels compared to something like Anna Karenina. It lacks that big, sweeping drama, which is actually a relief. It’s small. It’s messy.

• The lighting in the kitchen scene is surprisingly moody for the era.
• Jean Forest does a lot of heavy lifting with just his eyebrows.
• The dialogue feels like it was written by someone who actually listened to kids talk, which is rare.

There’s a moment near the middle where the film almost loses the plot entirely, and I think I actually liked that better. It felt like the movie just wandered off to look at a bird or something. It doesn’t try to be profound, and thank goodness for that. I’m tired of movies trying to explain the "human condition" every five minutes.

It reminded me a bit of the raw, unpolished vibe you get in Finis terrae, though clearly in a totally different setting. Just people being people, with all the awkward silences that come with it. Don’t go in expecting a masterclass in editing. Just let it happen.

One of the side characters, I won't even name them, just stares into the middle distance for about a minute straight. It’s haunting? Or maybe they just forgot their lines. Either way, it works. 🎞️