High Life
dir. Claire Denis · 2018
Feature
Moral Ambiguity
Mood
Dark / Melancholic
Look
stark, minimalist, with a focus on the vastness of space and intimate close-ups
Structure
non-linear, interspersed with flashbacks and fragmented storytelling
Plot
Monte and his daughter are the last survivors of a damned and dangerous mission to deep space. The crew—death-row inmates led by a doctor with sinister motives—has vanished. As the mystery of what happened onboard the ship is unraveled, father and daughter must rely on each other to survive as they hurtle toward the oblivion of a black hole.
Why watch
Monte and his daughter drift through the void of space, the remnants of a doomed mission echoing around them. As they confront the haunting silence and the moral complexities of their existence, the film immerses viewers in a chilling atmosphere where survival is intertwined with ethical dilemmas.
Cultural context
exploration of human moralitycritique of scientific ethicsreflections on isolation and survivalcommentary on the prison system