Les étoiles vagabondes réal. par Syrine Boulanouar et Nekfeu
2021; American Association of Teachers of French; Volume: 95; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1353/tfr.2021.0228
ISSN2329-7131
Autores Tópico(s)Vietnamese History and Culture Studies
ResumoReviewed by: Les étoiles vagabondes réal. par Syrine Boulanouar et Nekfeu Mariah Devereux Herbeck Boulanouar, Syrine, et Nekfeu, réal. Les étoiles vagabondes. Int. Nekfeu, Syrine Boulanouar, Damso. FullDawa, 2019. Whether a viewer is an ardent fan of the French rapper Nekfeu (aka Ken Samaras) or has never heard of him before, the recent documentary that follows the creation of his third album is bound to captivate audiences. A legend in his own right with three albums that have earned diamond status, Nekfeu has sold more than 1.5 million albums worldwide. Les étoiles vagabondes opens with the rapper taking the stage at a concert but then veers offstage, far offstage, and cuts to the star watching television [End Page 279] with his grandmother in Mytilene on the island of Lesbos, Greece. During an internal monologue, Nekfeu explains that his équipe has been waiting for over a year for him to write his third album. Nekfeu's return to Paris is introduced by the first of multiple tracking shots from right to left in the film—seemingly underlining a need to return to his origins or simply a desire to defy conventions. The film cuts to the artist in a moment of writer's block during which a close-up of his motionless hands reveals a copy of Les fleurs du mal at his side, inciting the viewer to wonder which aspect of Baudelaire's work will influence Nekfeu's current project. In search of a change of scenery, the "wandering star" takes his "dream team," as he calls them, to Japan where they recreate a recording studio out of quilts and pillows stuffed into a closet of a rented apartment. While there, Nekfeu finds inspiration in both quiet, forest temples as well as bustling, urban nightclubs. Subsequently, the group travels stateside to Los Angeles and then New Orleans where they collaborate with local artists and find inspiration for the song "Premier pas" while waiting out Hurricane Nate. In sum, the film consists not of filming a concert tour but what may instead be understood as Nekfeu's inspiration tour. The star comes full circle, returning to his origins and those of his album—Greece. While meeting with migrants in Mytilene, Nekfeu asks serious questions about the hardships they have overcome and continue to face. He also makes light-hearted inquiries into musical tastes. Upon learning that they enjoy rap, the ever modest Nekfeu refrains from revealing his star identity (at least not onscreen, though one must assume that his interlocutors notice that they are being followed by a camera crew). While some feature-length films about musicians resemble nothing more than self-aggrandizing extended music videos or concert recordings, Syrine Boulanouar and Nekfeu's documentary delves deep into the creative process and, more profoundly, what it takes to be a decent human being. The film leaves the viewer longing to hear the finished project—undoubtedly a desired outcome given that the same day that the film was released Nekfeu dropped his third album of the same title and it went straight to the top of streaming charts in France. Astute marketing ploy or not, Les étoiles vagabondes is well worth the view (and listen). Mariah Devereux Herbeck Boise State University (ID) Copyright © 2021 American Association of Teachers of French
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