A Barcelona audience gathered to host a Friday afternoon session featuring a preview of Pacific, the latest work from Albert Serra, a filmmaker born in Banyol. The premiere is officially set for September 2. Before the screening, Serra, wearing a tropical shirt, dark glasses, a neck scarf, black jeans, and flip flops, addressed the crowd with a declaration about accessibility. He suggested his film will feel like an experience more than a conventional narrative. He added that this cinema is built around the idea of the Phenomenal Experience and warned that while the film may not be easily categorized as either failing or sublime, it will undeniably be an experience.
Indeed, Pacifiction embodies the notion of an experience. The film can feel hypnotic at times and equally irritating at others, yet it remains unmistakably distinctive and valuable. Over 165 minutes, viewers follow a state commissioner, played with a chilling intensity by Benoît Magimel, as he obsesses over rumors of impending nuclear tests in French Polynesia. The plot unfolds like a nightmarish dream suspended between intuitive revelations and sharp mockery, punctuated by moments of subtle humor.
Genius or joke?
The second question is not a mere critique but a reflection on the film’s essence. Serra later explained that he makes movies to play with the world, recognizing that some viewers may feel mocked. He warned that the experience could be misunderstood, but he also argued that it offers value because it does not waste time or money like some contemporary productions.
In a colloquium led by a professor and film critic, the discussion veered toward a playful, almost ludicrous presentation of the film. Serra explored some of the most grotesque and unlikely aspects of Pacifiction, describing scenes that might seem suspicious or outright absurd. He noted that the actors, along with the director, contribute to a sense of belief in the moment, inviting the audience to suspend disbelief.
The film presents a character who seems to inhabit multiple roles. A man who appears as a modest, roguish figure in a seedy Tahitian bar becomes a question about authority and reality. The dialogue invites the audience to consider whether these shifts are merely theatrical, or if they reveal a deeper truth about how the world works. The director leaves room for interpretation while maintaining a sense of possibility that the boundaries between fiction and reality can blur.
Political theater and the gaze of power
One memorable line has the film’s lead describing politics as a nightclub where people are disconnected from reality and fail to look at one another in the dark. In response to a question about whether the movie is Serra’s most political work, the filmmaker affirmed the point but stressed that it was not a premeditated choice. Everything emerges as he travels to Polynesia and absorbs what he sees. He explains that his aim is to respond honestly to his impressions without bias, and the result may reveal a shifting power dynamic that was once clearer but has since dissolved.
The film keeps surfacing the theme of nuclear threat, and recent international events give the narrative new resonance. Serra remarked that the timing was not planned, yet current affairs have a way of reshaping interpretations. The discussion also touched on Serra’s relationship with the actors. He referenced a well known saying about simplicity and effort and praised Benoît Magimel for embracing a somewhat anarchic directorial approach. The director himself embodies a certain raw, independent streak that aligns with the project’s audacious tone. A light moment closed the discussion with a playful remark about preferring to do the actors’ jobs himself to save money.
Overall, Pacifiction invites audiences to question what they see on screen. It challenges conventional storytelling, offering an experience that lingers in memory long after the credits roll. The film’s force lies in its atmosphere, its provocative questions, and its willingness to let viewers inhabit a space where explanation yields to interpretation. It remains a bold example of how cinema can test perceptions while remaining deeply engaging for those willing to lean into its strange, sometimes unsettling magic.
At the heart of the conversation is a reminder that art often reflects the anxieties and ambiguities of real life. The experience of watching Pacifiction is a reminder that cinema can provoke, unsettle, and ultimately enrich the viewer by inviting them to confront complexity rather than seek simple answers. In that light, the film stands as a testament to Serra’s distinctive approach and to the enduring power of film to challenge expectations.