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Clairvius Narcisse was a Haitian man who was thought to have been turned into a zombi. Suspected Voodoo practices were at the center of his supposed zombification, but who really knows. The story goes, Narcisse was pronounced dead then brought back to life using the ancient practice and sent to work on a sugar plantation. Eighteen years later, he returned home to his village after breaking free of whatever had caused his condition. It’s a pretty crazy tale when you get right to it, but the story has been used as a launching point for Bertrand Bonello’s Zombi Child. It’s more of a drama than horror, but the horrific overtones are there, making it seem like intellectual horror.
‘Zombi Child’, from director Bertrand Bonello (Nocturama, Saint Laurent) injects history and politics into an unconventional cross-genre film. Opening in 1962 Haiti, the horror-fantasy follows the real-life story of Clairvius Narcisse (Mackenson Bijou), who falls dead on the street but is soon turned into a “zombi” when he is dug up from his grave and forced to work on a sugar-cane plantation. Shifting to present-day Paris at the Légion d’honneur boarding school, a rebellious teen named Fanny (Louise Labèque) befriends Melissa (Wislanda Louimat), who moved to France when her parents died in the 2010 Haiti earthquake. After recruiting her into a secret literary sorority, Fanny learns of Melissa’s connection to Clairvius, and becomes obsessed with her new friend’s past and culture, soon doing the unthinkable: seeking out her voodoo mambo aunt to solve her recent heartbreak.
Zombi Child was a total blind watch for me. I knew absolutely nothing going in; I had not even watched a trailer. I think you can appreciate something like this a bit more when you have no preconceived notions. It’s interesting to see how the two separate timelines play out in the film. The two stories couldn’t be any more different, but Bonello expertly weaves the tales into something unlike anything before it. The Narcisse story is almost a true account of what happened to the man, with the present day storyline involving his fictional granddaughter taking more liberties and getting into the supernatural elements, as subtle as they may be. It’s less about Melissa and more about her friend Fanny, who has a very heartbreaking story arc.
The young actress who plays her, Lousie Labèque gives a brilliant performance as a young lady so destroyed by heartbreak, she’s willing to do anything to feel whole again. Her co-star Wislanda Louimat is just as captivating on screen as a teen with a troubled past who wants to fit in at her new school.
Zombi Child throws out all conventions and makes you think, as opposed to make you scream. Once you get to the core, though, the creep factor slowly leaks out and grabs you by the throat. Bonello entwines the history with horror in unconventional ways, using social commentary and innuendo like a master. Even in it’s brilliance, Zombi Child does tend to drag a bit in the middle, but overall you won’t be disappointed after taking this journey. It will leave you contemplating the finale long after it’s over.
Zombi Child is currently playing in New York and Chicago.
Aside from Zombi Child continuing in both markets, below is a list of all upcoming markets and dates:
- 2/7: Media Art Center – San Diego CA
- 2/7-9: SIFF Film Center – Seattle WA
- 2/14: Living Room Theater – Portland OR
- 2/20-2/22: Cinema LaMont – Detroit MI
- 2/21: Nuart – LA
- 2/21: MFA Boston – MA
- 2/21: Harris Theatre – Pittsburgh PA
- 2/28: Cosford Art Cinema – Miami FL
- 2/28: O Cinema Miami Beach – FL
- 2/28: Landmark Opera Plaza – San Francisco CA
- 2/28: Landmark Shattuck Cinema – Berkeley CA
- 2/28: Cinema Salem – MA
- 3/6: The Grand Berry – Ft. Worth TX
- 3/6: Gateway Film Center – Columbus OH
- 3/18 & 21: Cleveland Cinematheque – OH
- 3/27: Living Room Theater – Boca Raton FL
- 4/3: SIE Film Center – Denver CO
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEucEj1yqA4&feature=emb_logo
Related Article: Review: ‘Zombieland: Double Tap’ on Blu-Ray
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