The one competition film from last year’s Cannes that, for my money, outclassed everything else was Oliver Laxe’s “Sirât.” A bomb of creative cinema, it doesn’t so much play by the rules as it tears them up, offering a formally bold, emotionally charged vision that left me stunned.
The film continues Laxe’s deep dive into mysticism and the human psyche—this time set against the thumping pulse of a Moroccan rave. If you’re wondering what Laxe might be doing next, well, he’s decided to turn everything up to 11.
In an interview with ScreenRant, Laxe revealed that he “will double the bet” with his next project, saying that he has a plan “to make my 2001.” Creating a “symphony” and something “hypnotic” that focuses on images and sound, he elaborated:
Not [necessarily] a [literal] Space Odyssey, but a symphony. Something really a trip, something really hypnotic. We will trust the spectators. We will trust the cinema. We will trust the images, the sound. We will trust the theaters. We will invite spectators to experience catharsis.
Talk about ambition. I have no problem with this ego-gone-mad mindset. An artist should always strive for ambition. When someone proclaims the next film will be their ‘2001,’ it means they’re setting an almost impossibly high bar—not just in terms of craft, but in intent. Invoking “2001: A Space Odyssey” isn’t about plot or genre; it’s a declaration of faith in cinema as a sensory, spiritual experience. For Laxe, that kind of statement signals a willingness to abandon safety for something transcendent.
Laxe, whose earlier works like the artful “Fire Will Come” and “Mimosas” suggested a promising new voice in international cinema, now with “Sirât” has revealed himself as something stranger, fiercer, and more daring.
The recognition has resulted in “Sirât” appearing on countless year-end polls, hundreds of top 10 lists, and having been Oscar-nominated for Best International Film. I can’t wait to see what Laxe does next.