17/02/2025 - BERLINALE 2025: Hélène Cattet and Bruno Forzani present a baroque spy film with some crazy twists and turns, which is both fun and exhausting

If there is no such term as a “spaghetti spy thriller”, it should be invented just for Reflection in a Dead Diamond [+see also:
trailer
interview: Hélène Cattet & Bruno Forzani
film profile], the fourth feature by Hélène Cattet and Bruno Forzani. And that spaghetti should be consumed with a fork that has 007 tines and served on a plate made of comic strips. If this description sounds a bit too much, it’s only because it feels appropriate to put together a string of convoluted and ornate sentences when discussing this Belgian entry in the 75th Berlinale’s competition. The directorial duo’s affection for genre and style certainly provides some high-octane fuel, and this makes watching the film an exciting ride for some and a tiring one for others. So, it’s best to either agree to the terms and conditions offered by the drivers, or else just leap out of the vehicle right away.

But what is this oddity about? In short, a septuagenarian (Fabio Testi) who lives in a luxury hotel in the south of France, with his only company being cocktails and the echoes of his past glory. The unexpected sight of a woman lying on the beach, enjoying the sun and being lapped by the salty waves, nudges him down memory lane. He remembers the heyday of his work as an international spy in the 1960s – the intense amalgam of bloody violence, sexual tension and chasing the identity of a mysterious lady hidden behind a mask.

The plot is shattered like glass, and intentionally, too. It may represent the multi-faceted structure of a diamond – a key object in the spy story – but it doesn’t have to. It’s equally possible that the narrative reflects the way some ageing minds work – how they substitute cold, hard reasoning for a form of logic based on associations and emotions.

As Reflection in a Dead Diamond progresses with its wild pacing and quotes from other films, it also becomes clear how often these narratives can be distilled into a battle of the sexes (instead of a battle between good and evil). The violence is exaggerated in a way that would interest Dario Argento, yet it still feels shocking and stifling – like a nightmare that one can’t wake up from. It’s not entirely obvious if this is a deliberate comment on that particular aspect of pulp and pop culture, or if it’s just one of many readings that naturally come with this story so abundant in details and with such a loose structure. Doubts like this can be cast – like a die or a diamond – on many aspects of the story, but again, it’s not overly problematic, also because the consistent and rhythmic editing facilitates our connection with this crazy and intense film. In a world where men wear fedoras and women wear leather face masks, nothing really needs to be serious or definite.

Reflection in a Dead Diamond is a joint effort by Belgium, Luxembourg, Italy and France. The film was produced by Kozak Films, and co-produced by Les Films Fauves, Dandy Projects, Tobina Film, Savage Film and To Be Continued. Its world rights are with True Colours.

Photogallery 17/02/2025: Berlinale 2025 - Reflection in a Dead Diamond

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Fabio Testi, Yannick Renier, Koen De Bouw, Maria de Medeiros, Thi Mai Nguyen
© 2024 Dario Caruso for Cineuropa - dario-caruso.fr, @studio.photo.dar, Dario Caruso