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On the Adamant

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On the Adamant
Official Berlinale poster
Directed byNicolas Philibert
Produced by
  • Céline Loiseau
  • Gilles Sacuto
  • Miléna Poylo
CinematographyNicolas Philibert
Edited by
  • Janusz Baranek
  • Nicolas Philibert
Production
companies
Distributed byLes Films du Losange
Release dates
  • 24 February 2023(2023-02-24)(Berlinale)
  • 19 April 2023(2023-04-19)(France)
Running time
109 minutes
Country
  • France
LanguageFrench
Box office$814,680[1]

On the Adamant(French:Sur l'Adamant) is a 2023 French-languagedocumentary filmdirected byNicolas Philibert.The work portrays the floating structure L'Adamant Day Center, located on theSeineriver inParis.The structure is a special daycare center for the treatment of people with mental disorders.[2]

It won theGolden Bearat the73rd Berlin International Film Festival,[3]where it had its world premiere on 24 February 2023.[4]The film was also nominated for the Berlinale Documentary Film Award.[5]It was released in French cinemas on 19 April 2023.[6]

Content

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The film is a portrait of the L'Adamant Day Center in Paris, France. It is a floating building located at the foot of thePont Charles-de-Gaulleon the right bank of the Seine. The exclusive day center welcomes people with mental disorders residing in the first four municipalarrondissementsof Paris. The team that manages it is one of those that tries to resist as much as possible the decay and dehumanization of psychiatry.

It offers patients a daily routine and helps them regain their footing in everyday life with therapeutic workshops and psychosocial rehabilitation support. This film invites us to come on board to meet the patients and healthcare workers who invent their daily lives day after day. The Adamant team is made up of psychiatrists, psychologists, nurses, occupational therapists, specialized educators, psychomotor specialists, hospital staff and art therapists.[7][8]

Production

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Film crew ofOn the Adamant

The director Nicolas Philibert was aware of the project of the Adamant in the early 2010s through psychologist and psychoanalyst Linda de Zitter, whom he had known since the filming ofLa Moindre des choses(lit.'Nothing but trifles') in 1995. Seven or eight years later, when the project was completed, he met a workshop group at L'Adamant on their invitation and as he said, "I came away particularly invigorated, spurred on by the remarks of the people who were there." So, when he planned to make the documentary he was free of worries about the architecture of the film, he was convinced that the unity of place and the 'characters' would allow him an undisciplined construction, as he said "Following a character, losing him, finding him later, filming a meeting, a workshop, welcoming a newcomer, informal exchanges... And fixing all those little details that we might find trivial and which would become the very fabric of the film being made."[9]

Release

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On the Adamantpremiered on 24 February 2023 as part of the73rd Berlin International Film Festival,in competition. As of March 2023,it is scheduled for release in French cinemas on 19 April 2023.[6]

It was invited to Horizons section of57th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival,where it was screened on 30 June 2023.[10]The documentary also made to2023 Cinéfest Sudbury International Film Festivalheld from September 16 to 24, 2023.[11]The film competed at the2023 Calgary International Film Festivalin 'International Documentary Competition' for Best International Documentary Feature award and had screening on September 22.[12]

The film was screened at the28th Busan International Film Festivalin 'Icon' section on 6 October,[13]and was screened at the2023 BFI London Film Festivalin 'Strand' section under 'Debate' theme on 12 October, 2023.[14]

The documentary was also invited to the2023 Vancouver International Film Festivalin 'Insights' section and screened on 5 October 2023.[15]It was selected as European Documentary for the36th European Film Awardsheld on 9 December 2023.[16]

On 23 March 2024, it will be screened at theSofia International Film Festivalin European Parliament LUX Prize section.[17]

Reception

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On the review aggregatorRotten Tomatoeswebsite, the film has an approval rating of 95% based on 20 reviews, with an average rating of 7.3/10.[18]OnMetacritic,it has a weighted average score of 75 out of 100 based on 5 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[19]

Jordan Mintzer, forThe Hollywood Reporter,stating that the film presents "an artful look at outsider artists", opined that "On the Adamantultimately becomes a moving testament to what people are capable of, if they could just find the right place to do it. "[20]

Guy Lodge, reviewing at the Berlin Film Festival forVariety,wrote, "On the Adamantmight not achieve the crossover success Philibert has found in the past, but it's a warm reminder of his perceptive gifts.... "[21]Fabien Lemercier reviewing forCineuropapraised the director: "Philibert's is a supple and natural approach, both methodical and poetic, which demonstrates great human and cinematographic understanding and which smoothly and modestly establishes contact in an environment where you have to find the right keys to connect."[22]

Jonathan Romney forScreenDailywrote in a review that the film is "engaging and affirmative". Romney stated that, in contrast to the more detached observational approach of theFrederick Wisemanschool, "The film is more about character and human presence, as opposed to depicting the overall functioning of this institution."[23]

David Robb reviewing onSlant Magazinerated the film with two and a half out of four stars and opined that, "The task of representing mental illness and those afflicted by it can be a precarious tightrope walk for a documentarian...", and appreciating the director's presentation, Robb wrote, "... and it's to Nicolas Philibert's credit that he mostly avoids tumbling into sensationalism or mawkish sentimentality."[24]

Accolades

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While announcing the awardKristen Stewart,the jury president called the film "masterfully crafted" and a "cinematic proof of the vital necessity of human expression." Philibert asked in his acceptance speech if the jury members were "crazy"[25]and yet nevertheless thanked them, saying "that documentary can be considered to be cinema in its own right touches me deeply."[26]

Nicolas Philibert,with theGolden BearforOn the Adamant

On the Adamantwas nominated for European Documentary award in the36th European Film Awardson 7 November.[27]The awards ceremony took place on 9 December in Berlin.[28][29]

Award Date Category Recipient Result Ref.
Berlin International Film Festival 26 February 2023 Golden Bear On the Adamant Won [3]
Berlinale Documentary Film Award Nominated [5][30]
Prize of the Ecumenical Jury: Special Mention Won [31]
European Film Awards 9 December 2023 European Documentary Nominated [27]
Lumières Award 22 January 2024 Best Documentary Nominated [32][33]
César Awards 23 February 2024 Best Documentary Film Nominated [34]
European Film Academy 16 April 2024 Lux Award Nominated [35][36]

Listicle

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Publisher Year Listicle Placement Ref.
Screen International 2023 15 films that stood out at Berlin 2023 2nd [37]

References

[edit]
  1. ^"On the Adamant".Box Office Mojo.IMDb.Retrieved31 May2024.Edit this at Wikidata
  2. ^Philibert, Nicolas (8 February 2023)."On the Adamant".Cineuropa.Archivedfrom the original on 8 February 2023.Retrieved8 February2023.
  3. ^abLodge, Guy (25 February 2023)."French Documentary 'On the Adamant' Wins Golden Bear at Berlin".Variety.Archivedfrom the original on 25 February 2023.Retrieved25 February2023.
  4. ^Rosser, Michael (23 January 2023)."Berlin Film Festival reveals 2023 competition line-up".Screen.Archivedfrom the original on 24 January 2023.Retrieved8 February2023.
  5. ^ab"Films nominated for the Berlinale Documentary Film Award".Berlinale.1 February 2023.Archivedfrom the original on 1 February 2023.Retrieved8 February2023.
  6. ^ab"Sur l'Adamant"[On the Adamant].AlloCiné(in French).Archivedfrom the original on 29 January 2023.Retrieved3 March2023.
  7. ^"On the Adamant, A film by Nicolas Philibert".les films du losange.4 January 2023.Archivedfrom the original on 22 January 2023.Retrieved8 February2023.
  8. ^"Services De Soins"[Care Services].The Hospitals of Saint-Maurice(in French).Archivedfrom the original on 13 February 2023.Retrieved8 February2023.
  9. ^"On the Adamant".AlloCiné(in French).Retrieved1 March2023.
  10. ^"57th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival: Horizons".Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.30 June 2023.Retrieved2 August2023.
  11. ^Goh, Clement (23 August 2023).""Cinéfest Sudbury marks 35 years with focus on comedy and vampires"".CBC Northern Ontario.Retrieved29 August2023.
  12. ^"CIFF: On the Adamant".Calgary International Film Festival.Retrieved9 September2023.
  13. ^"Icon: People I met at Adamant in Paris: On the Adamant".Busan International Film Festival.5 September 2023.Retrieved5 September2023.
  14. ^Ntim, Zac (31 August 2023)."BFI London Film Festival Full Lineup: 'The Book Of Clarence' World Premiere; Scorsese, Miyazaki, Lanthimos & Fincher Among Headline Galas".Deadline.Retrieved1 September2023.
  15. ^"Vancouver International Film Festival: On the Adamant".Vancouver International Film Festival.5 September 2023.Retrieved8 September2023.
  16. ^"Documentary Film Selection 2023".European Film Awards.Retrieved30 August2023.
  17. ^"On the Adamant".Sofia International Film Festival.29 February 2024.Retrieved29 February2024.
  18. ^"On the Adamant (Documentary 2023)".Rotten Tomatoes.Fandango Media.Retrieved9 March2024.
  19. ^"On the Adamant".Metacritic.Fandom, Inc.Retrieved2 March2023.
  20. ^Mintzer, Jordan (24 February 2023)."'On the Adamant' Review: Nicolas Philibert's Touching Exploration of Creativity and Mental Illness ".The Hollywood Reporter.Archivedfrom the original on 24 February 2023.Retrieved24 February2023.
  21. ^Lodge, Guy (24 February 2023)."'On the Adamant' Review: Nicolas Philibert Returns With a Tender Tour of a Mental Health Sanctuary ".Variety.Archivedfrom the original on 25 February 2023.Retrieved25 February2023.
  22. ^Lemercier, Fabien (24 February 2023)."Review: On the Adamant".Cineuropa.Archivedfrom the original on 24 February 2023.Retrieved25 February2023.
  23. ^Romney, Jonathan (24 February 2023)."'On The Adamant': Berlin Review ".ScreenDaily.Archivedfrom the original on 26 February 2023.Retrieved27 February2023.
  24. ^Robb, David (1 March 2023)."On the Adamant Review: A Tender, If Half-Sketched, Survey of a Mental Health Haven".Slant Magazine.Retrieved2 March2023.
  25. ^Thomas Rogers (25 February 2023)."French Documentary 'On the Adamant' Wins Top Prize at Berlin Film Festival".The New York Times.Archivedfrom the original on 27 February 2023.Retrieved28 February2023.
  26. ^"Etre et Avoir director Nicolas Philibert wins Golden Bear at Berlin film festival".The Guardian.25 February 2023.Archivedfrom the original on 26 February 2023.Retrieved27 February2023.
  27. ^abGoodfellow, Melanie (7 November 2023)."'Fallen Leaves' & 'The Zone Of Interest' Top European Film Award Nominations In Main Categories ".Deadline Hollywood.Retrieved8 November2023.
  28. ^"Documentary Film Selection 2023".Europeans Film Awards.Retrieved28 October2023.
  29. ^Rosser, Michael (30 August 2023)."European Film Academy reveals documentary contenders for 2023 awards".ScreenDaily.Retrieved28 October2023.
  30. ^Nikkhah Azad, Navid (2 February 2023)."Berlinale Documentary Award Jury 2023".Deed News.Archivedfrom the original on 17 February 2023.Retrieved17 February2023.
  31. ^Roxborough, Scott (25 February 2023)."Berlin: '20,000 Species of Bees,' 'Totem' Among Independent Jury Winners".Hollywood Reporter.Archivedfrom the original on 25 February 2023.Retrieved25 February2023.
  32. ^Lemercier, Fabien (14 December 2023)."Anatomie d'une chute domine les nominations pour les Lumières".Cineuropa(in French).Retrieved14 December2023.
  33. ^Roxborough, Scott (14 December 2023)."'Anatomy of a Fall' Leads Lumières Awards Nominations ".The Hollywood Reporter.Retrieved14 December2023.
  34. ^Goodfellow, Melanie (24 January 2024)."'The Animal Kingdom' Leads Nominations For France's 2024 César Awards, Followed By 'Anatomy Of A Fall' – Full List ".Deadline.Retrieved25 January2024.
  35. ^Silva Vilas, Jesús (1 September 2023)."20,000 Species of Bees, Fallen Leaves, On the Adamant, Smoke Sauna Sisterhood and The Teachers' Lounge to vie for the 2024 LUX Audience Award".Cineuropa.Retrieved19 September2023.
  36. ^"The Teachers' Lounge wins the LUX Award 2024".European Film Awards.17 April 2024.Retrieved3 May2024.
  37. ^Halligan, Fionnuala (2 March 2023)."15 films that stood out at Berlin 2023".ScreenDaily.Retrieved4 March2023.
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