With the success that Pobres criaturas has had at the 2024 Oscars, a lot of people have started to become interested in Yorgos Lanthimos, the Greek director behind Dogtooth, The Killing of a Sacred Deer, and The Lobster. And it’s not for nothing. For almost two decades, the filmmaker has managed to captivate the audience through provocation and crazy premises that come true with absolute control of the audiovisual narrative.
However, this is not by any means the weirdest and craziest director making films today. From Japanese to Spanish, there are many international directors who are succeeding worldwide thanks to their unique perspective on the world. And among all of them, there is one that has been attracting a lot of attention for years: Quentin Dupieux.
Born and raised in Paris, France, Dupieux is both a musician and a film director, but since he started with this last facet, he has been surprising everyone with such crazy and successful audiovisual proposals. From the recent Yannick to Smoking causes cough and The deer skin jacket, it is clear that we are facing an unusual director but with a very clear idea about cinema.
A French director with a huge inner world
Undoubtedly, one of the most distinctive features of Dupieux’s cinema is his fascination with the absurd and the surreal. His films are full of extravagant situations and crazy concepts that defy audience expectations and invite them to question reality itself. In this way, when you enter a Dupieux film, you never know what to expect: everything is possible and, at the same time, his narrative makes perfect sense.
In addition, Dupieux masterfully uses black humor in his films, blending the comedic with the disturbing in a way that grabs attention and provokes reflection. His ability to find comedy in the unexpected and the absurd has earned him praise from critics and fans alike, and although it may not be for everyone, it’s hard not to crack a smile at some point.
But Dupieux not only experiments with his narrative, but also with the form and structure of his films, which ultimately results in a non-linear narrative and a unique visual aesthetic. It is clear that his innovative use of cinematography and editing creates an immersive cinematic experience. One of those where you can’t take your eyes off the screen… if you have truly entered his game.
The use of unconventional actors by Dupieux results, on the other hand, in characters that are often eccentric and unconventional, thus adding an element of unpredictability and fascination to his stories. He creates his own worlds through each of his characters, even exploring universal themes such as loneliness, alienation, and the search for meaning in an apparently absurd world.
And, of course, the use of music is one of the key elements of his films. Dupieux’s relationship with music couldn’t be stronger. Under the pseudonym Mr. Oizo, he has an enviable musical career that is almost as successful as his film career, making him a multidisciplinary artist… quite unusual in every way.
Dupieux’s films are available on various platforms, but you can find his works on Filmin, Movistar Plus, and Amazon Prime Video. Which one should you start with? Honestly, any of them is fine: none is particularly better than the others, and they all immerse you in the crazy imaginary world of the author.
