There are few filmmakers working today quite as consistent as French auteur Francois Ozon and his latest, Frantz, is emblematic of this notion. Remaining faithful to his own sensibilities as a storyteller, each passing endeavour remains unique of its own accord, and where previous offerings such as In the House and The New Girlfriend thrived in their light and witty tendencies, Frantz represents a far more solemn, dramatic affair, highlighting the director’s noteworthy range.

Set during the aftermath of the First World War, we meet German widow Anna (Paula Beer), grieving the loss of her fiancé Frantz, living in the residency of his parents Hans (Ernst Stotzner) and Magda Hoffmeister (Marie Gruber). One morning when laying flowers on his deceased partner’s grave, she notices an elusive stranger doing the same, the Frenchman Adrien Rivoire (Pierre Niney). Intrigued as to what his connection could’ve been with Frantz, they invite the former soldier round for dinner, where he explains he was a close friend, who had spent time with Frantz in Paris. The presence of a former French soldier in Germany is met with apprehension and disdain, but Anna remains beguiled, learning more about her partner through anecdotes, with Adrien providing a semblance of comfort to this bereaving family.

FrantzThe opening act makes for an indelible, captivating experience, for Ozon plays with the audience’s perceptions, as we can’t stop wondering exactly who Adrien is, and why he’s turned up out of the blue (an ambiguity that the original Ernst Lubitsch production Broken Lullaby was without). So many possible ideas come to mind – could he be the man who killed Frantz in combat? Was he Frantz’s lover back in Paris? Or is this entire endeavour an elaborate lie to try and get close to, and seduce the beautiful Anna? Each scenario wildly different from the next, but Ozon ensures they remain viable, and such is eclectic nature of the filmmaker’s work, we never quite know which path he may go down.

There’s a film noir element to this drama too, and not just the monochrome aesthetic, but tone, the way Ozon presents suspense, the music, the camerawork. The use of colour is incredibly important in this film, as we move between black/white and colour, highlighting the temperament of the protagonists, and whether they’re able to feel invigorated and alive again, or whether they’re still depressed about the death of a beloved individual, for when Anna begins to find happiness again, born out of the arrival of Adrien, the colour appears.

But the prevalent theme within this title is the futility of war, and how similar many of the young men were during the conflict, how you’d be forced to kill somebody merely because of their nationality. In that regard Frantz feels reminiscent of the Jean Renoir masterpiece La Grande Illusion, which is evidently a big inspiration on this film. And simply being able to draw parallels between the two films is about as high a praise this film could be awarded.

Frantz is released on May 12th