
Beau Travail
Beau Travail (, French for "good work") is a 1999 French film directed by Claire Denis that is loosely based on Herman Melville's 1888 novella Billy Budd. The story is set in Djibouti, where the protagonists are soldiers in the French Foreign Legion. Parts of the soundtrack of the movie are from Benjamin Britten's opera based on the novella.
Plot
The film begins with the silhouettes of soldiers being ordered to stand in the sun as an endurance test. It is a recollection of Adjudant-Chef Galoup (Denis Lavant), from his home in Marseille, where he is writing his memoirs. He remembers the heat of Djibouti, where he led his section of men under the command of Commandant Bruno Forestier (Michel Subor). We see numerous training scenes, including assault courses and the securing of buildings. Much of the reminiscence has a balletic quality; many of these reminiscences are set against a back-drop of the traditional, local Djibouti life. Galoup has a beautiful young local girlfriend and they often go out dancing.
Awards
More details
author | Claire Denis Jean-Pol Fargeau |
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award | César Award for Best Cinematography Chlotrudis Award for Best Cinematography National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Cinematography |
contentLocation | Djibouti France Marseille |
director | Claire Denis |
editor | Nelly Quettier |
events | French Foreign Legion jealousy love |
keywords | assault course build court martial foreign legion kill night club playing chess repressed homosexual salt flats salt pan section the rhythm of the night train write |
musicBy | Eran Zur |
nomination | European Film Award for Best Cinematographer |
producer | Patrick Grandperret |
publisher | Pyramide Distribution |
recordedAt | Djibouti |
theme | dance lgbt-related |