In his recognisable style and digressing from tedious political correctness, sparkling queer author Alain Guiraudie tackles the themes of unrequited love and societal paranoia, finding solidarity in the most unexpected places. The nonchalant comedy Nobody’s Hero, listed by the prominent French magazine Cahiers du Cinéma as one of the top 10 films of 2022, takes us to the city of Clermont-Ferrand in the aftermath of a terrorist attack. Médéric, an unassuming thirty-something man, falls in love with an older, married sex worker Isadora. The unexpected attack finds them in bed together, bringing their first rendez-vous in Hotel de France to an abrupt end. Afterwards, Médéric offers money and shelter to Sélim, a young homeless man of Arabic roots, but quickly starts to suspect his involvement in the attack (giving in to his own prejudice for no good reason), and decides to inform the police. Meanwhile, Isadora’s jealous husband barges in and starts making trouble. The more protagonists enter the story, the more unpredictable and absurd the plot gets. However, Guiraudie treats his eccentric characters with great affection, while approaching beauty standards, age difference, religion and sexual orientation in a refreshingly lighthearted and humorous way. Hidden behind this upbeat sexual comedy, there lies a sharp satire that invites us to face our own shortcomings, leave our comfort zone and lend a hand to our neighbour, no matter how much they annoy us, make us feel uncomfortable or anxious. (DP)

Awards and festivals:

Berlinale Panorama (2022) – world premiere; Cahiers du Cinéma Top 10 Films of 2022