Melancholia

"The film is divided into two parts, soberly entitled Justine and Claire. The first, which focuses on the wedding, is reminiscent of Thomas Vinterberg’s Festen, except that here there is no big reveal of family secrets, despite the palpable tension. Justine, who seems deeply influenced by the aptly named Melancholia, propels the film into a dreamlike second part. Whilst Justine appears to find a kind of serenity in the idea of the end of the world, Claire, in contrast, clings desperately to life. Melancholia draws on the tradition of great metaphysical films such as 2001: A Space Odyssey or Solaris, to which Dürer’s painting makes a direct reference. Trier has created a magnificent visual work here, whose dazzling prologue is undoubtedly one of the defining scenes of contemporary cinema."