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Arguably the most pressing humanitarian issue of the 20th century, the refugee crisis has been the subject of many a feature film and documentary over the years. From Ai Weiwei's award-winning Human Flow to critically acclaimed animated dramas like Flee, cinema has become a favored medium for bringing the crisis to the attention of audiences around the world. It's subject matter that has recently become extremely topical again, thanks to the Syrian civil war, the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. But with Meet the Barbarians, director Julie Delpy is taking a somewhat different approach to this very somber issue, in this comparatively lighthearted comedy drama about a small French village's efforts to adopt a refugee family of their own. The setting is Paimpont, a quaint rural town in northwestern France where everyone knows everyone and nothing is off limits from the local rumor mill. It's the kind of tight-knit community where the old ways are cherished and neighbors are wont to give their advice to one another, whether it's solicited or not. So when schoolteacher Joëlle (Delpy) takes it upon herself to try and bring a Ukrainian refugee family to the town, she can't help but get an earful from all its various citizens, each of whom have their own opinion about her charitable endeavor. From the local minimart owner, Philippe (Mathieu Demy), and his wife, Anne (Sandrine Kiberlain), to the town plumber, Hervé (Laurent Lafitte), and his wife, Géraldine (India Hair), most of Paimpont's population appear to be supportive of Joëlle's campaign, although some are clearly masking their true feelings to fit in with the majority. But will they all still feel the same when Joëlle realizes that there are no more Ukrainian refugees left in Europe to take in, and she has to pivot to adopting a family of Syrian refugees instead? And what about when they discover that she doctored the official documents, and that the town's newest residents are here illegally? What follows is a poignant tale about friendship, acceptance, and the pleasant surprises that can arise when one makes an effort to find things in common with those who, at least on the outset, appear to be vastly different. That said, the message audiences will take away with them after experiencing Meet the Barbarians certainly isn't worth half as much if they don't turn around and apply these lessons in real life. Make no mistake, movies like this are an easy way for viewers to get on board with causes that impact the greater good. In order to drive true change, however, we all need to do our part and help turn fiction into fact. |
Meet the Barbarians screens under the Gala Presentations programme at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival. Its runtime is 1 hr. 41 min.
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