Robert Bresson's Au hasard Balthazar is a profound masterwork from one of cinema's most famous filmmakers. It follows the donkey Balthazar as he is passed from owner to owner, some compassionate, some cruel, but all having causes beyond his comprehension. Balthazar, whose life mirrors that of his first owner, Marie, is a beast of burden who bears the burdens of humanity. He accepts his fate with dignity, despite his powerlessness. This basic story becomes a powerful parable about purity and transcendence thanks to Bresson's unusual approach to composition, sound, and narration.
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Robert Bresson's Au hasard Balthazar is a profound masterwork from one of cinema's most famous filmmakers. It follows the donkey Balthazar as he is passed from owner to owner, some compassionate, some cruel, but all having causes beyond his comprehension. Balthazar, whose life mirrors that of his first owner, Marie, is a beast of burden who bears the burdens of humanity. He accepts his fate with dignity, despite his powerlessness. This basic story becomes a powerful parable about purity and transcendence thanks to Bresson's unusual approach to composition, sound, and narration.
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