Modern Life Review

French Farming has been in decline for decades, but despair at the inevitable passing of an ancient way of life is all-encompassing in Raymond Depardon’s third visit to the hamlet of La Villaret. Old age rather than socio-economic change seems responsible for the struggles of doughty octogenarian siblings Marcel and Raymond Privat to sustain their livestock. But their wider disillusion is made grumpily manifest in their reaction to nephew Alain Rouvière’s new city-slicker wife. And things are no easier for their neighbours. Beautifully photographed, this is a respectful and poignant slice of cinematic humanism that will hopefully presage a further sequel.