François Ozon (8 Women; Summer of ‘85) takes a modern approach in adapting Albert Camus’s classic 1942 novel of existential ennui. Meursault (Benjamin Voisin), a clerk working in Algiers during the French colonial occupation, finds his life upended by his mother’s death. Unable to express grief, his detachment carries over to all aspects of his life, from his tentative romance with Marie (Rebecca Marder) to his indifference toward professional advancement. As Meursault is swept up in a cycle of escalating reprisals by his neighbors, tensions come to a head when he faces a murder charge. Filmed in sensuous black-and-white, The Stranger is simultaneously faithful to the text and dedicated to discovering fresh perspectives in the margins.

 

“François Ozon made all the right directorial choices, carried by actors who embody the characters from ‘The Stranger’ with remarkable finesse. A magnificent journey through my father’s work, rendered with the utmost respect. Bravo, François, and thank you.” —Catherine Camus