Casta Diva

A series of set pieces observing men (and sometimes men watching men): single, lengthy takes from static camera set-ups; an almost total absence of the spoken word; the radiant clarity of black-and-white images. As a celebration of the male form, Eric de Kuyper's first feature is not without its longueurs, but it has a wit and a consistency which both fascinates and impresses. For some, the final flurry of bravura camerawork breaks the tone, but in its own way it's quite ravishing.