The Stranger

A Frenchman stands trial in Algiers for the inexplicable killing of an Arab man in François Ozon's stunning adaptation of Albert Camus' classic novel.

Meursault, a young, seemingly indifferent Frenchman living in 1940s Algiers, is on trial for the unmotivated murder of an Arab local. Through flashback, we see Meursault in his daily life, where nothing seems to move him: promotion in his job, the untimely death of his mother, a neighbour abusing his girlfriend and finally the murder of this young Arab man one hot afternoon on the beach.

Standing trial, his blank response to these incidents baffles the court and jury, making his motivation for murder more mysterious, more shocking.

Curator’s Note

François Ozon tackles one of the great French novels – a book that has often been described as unfilmable. The book's themes of man's indifference and the existential absurdity of life are filtered through some of the bigger ideas Ozon injects into the film. Through some of the more radical changes he makes, including naming the murder victim, who is simply referred to as the Arab in the book, Ozon's film shifts to become a more pointed examination of the corrosive nature of colonialism and the inherent racism that underpins Meursault’s actions.

Beautifully shot in black and white and finely acted by Benjamin Voisin (Summer of 85), who takes on a difficult role with the right amount of mystery and callousness, The Stranger casts an intoxicating spell.