The Guardians
An affecting human drama of love, loss, and resilience unfolds against the backdrop of World War I. The women of the Paridier farm, under the deft hand of the family’s matriarch Hortense (Nathalie Baye), must grapple with the work while the men are off at the front.
Hortense reluctantly brings on a hard-scrabble outsider to help her daughter. New tools allow the women to triumph over the land, and newfound independence is acquired. When the men return from the front on short leaves, emotions are stirred.
Acclaimed filmmaker Xavier Beauvois (OF GODS AND MEN) revels in the mysteries and beauties of the French countryside with painterly images bathed in natural light while keeping his focus on the intricate drama that plays out against the upheaval of the Great War.
135Rated R
in French with English subtitles