Notre Dame is burning of Jean-Jacques Annaud, it’s like titanic by James Cameron. We get caught up in the story even if we know the ending. The director delivers a breathtaking reconstruction of the fire that ravaged the cathedral on April 15, 2019, immersing the viewer in the heart of the event.
The director knows how to build a solid suspense, taking us from surprise to surprise as the fire evolves and the firefighters fight to try to circumvent it in less than optimal circumstances.
A box of a beautiful size
The incredible chain of damage pushes the spectator to regularly strike his forehead, murmuring: “It’s not possible”. We quickly understand that the fact that the cathedral is still standing and that there were no deaths or serious injuries is a miracle! Lack of organization, compact crowd, faulty equipment and monster traffic jams delay rescue…
Of humanity above all
The film is an ode to the courage and presence of mind of the firefighters that Jean-Jacques Annaud passionately celebrates. We cling to the edge of his seat watching them fight against the flames and try to save precious relics with often failing means, while having fun seeing the curator of the cathedral hit by galloping bad luck.
Also in writing
Notre Dame is burning, it is a perfectly mastered spectacle that Jean-Jacques Annaud recounts in a fascinating book co-authored with Stéphane Boudsocq (Gründ editions). The director confirms in particular the choice to mix hours of images from all over the world with his own close-up shots.