Adamant Triptych (3-Disc DVD Box)

ON BOARD ADAMANT

WINNER – GOLDEN BEAR – 73RD BERLINALE 2023
L'Adamant is a unique day center located on a large houseboat on the Seine River in the heart of Paris. It welcomes adults with mental disabilities. The care offered anchors the users in time and space and helps them regain and maintain their will to live. The staff who run the business fight with all available means against the disintegration and dehumanization that has affected psychiatric care.

Nicolas Philibert is one of the greatest documentary filmmakers we have today. His approach is about getting as close to those he portrays as possible. Whether it's an orangutan, as in Nénette (2010), or people like in the Radio House (2013). Philibert's observations patiently stretch out in time and are motivated by a genuine and infectious interest in conveying everything that concerns the people he wants to document. Trust is always central to documentary filmmakers, and trust is something Philibert's working method inspires in people, even those who may have good reason to be suspicious. For Philibert, filmmaking is a journey of discovery that he embarks on with a great deal of humility. This friendly, enlightening and engaging film invites us into the microcosm that is l'Adamant. Here, as one of the users suggests, we can start the morning by deciding to have a good day.

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* * * * “ Strong presence ” – DN
* * * * “ Brave, honest and wonderful ” – The Entertainment Guide
* * * * “ Strong and touching film about the healing power of culture ” – The Culture Blog
* * * * “ Lets us see the person beyond the diagnosis ” – Southern Swedish

"As a spectator, you sit there with a smile on your face as often as with tears in your eyes. Only an astute and incredibly empathetic documentary filmmaker can create that feeling." – The sociologist

* * * * * “ Outstanding ” – Les Echos
* * * * “ Brilliant documentary ” – Le Figaro
* * * * “ The director turns a mental health clinic into a kingdom ” – Le Monde
* * * * “ Monumental humanistic film ” – Premiere

“ Empathetic and brilliant ” – L'Humanité
" Made with a deep and intelligent gaze " - Les Inrockuptibles
“ A magnificent journey ” – Télérama
“ Warm and political documentary ” – L'Obs

BACK TO ADAMANT – POSTED ON AVERROÈS & ROSA PARKS
In the second chapter of Nicolas Philibert’s triptych following the Golden Bear winner On Board Adamant, we follow patients and caregivers in two psychiatric units at the Esquirol hospital in Paris. Through conversations and encounters, the patients’ inner worlds are revealed – filled with fears, dreams and a struggle for dignity – in a healthcare environment struggling with a lack of resources. Philibert captures a psychiatry that still listens, in the midst of a society that often forgets.

Back to Adamant - posted on Averroès & Rosa Parks opens doors to the most vulnerable spaces of humanity! Nicolas Philibert masterfully weaves together humor, warmth, and depth in this gripping portrayal of life on the fringes of society. Here you meet people who are not just patients, but people with stories that touch us all. It is an eye-opener – both heartbreaking and hopeful – that reminds us of what it means to be human and changes our view of the world!

* * * * * “Shows those we place on the fringes of our social order as more broken, more unstable versions of ourselves.” – Cahiers du Cinéma
* * * * * “Nicolas Philibert holds up a mirror before us” – Les Inrockuptibles
* * * * * “A documentary about heartbreaking humanity.” – Ouest France
* * * * “Dizzing and crazy human.” – Bande à part
* * * * “A wonderful tribute to caregivers.” – La Croix
* * * * “A moving film about dignity and humanity.” – Le Parisien
* * * * “Unforgettable” – Télérama

BACK TO ADAMANT – THE TYPEWRITER AND ANOTHER MAJOR BREACH
In the final chapter of Nicolas Philibert's acclaimed triptych, which began with On Board Adamant and continued with Back to Adamant – posted on Averroès & Rosa Parks , we follow some craftsmen and carers whose outreach and work consists of visiting patients living in their own homes. They all struggle with very concrete everyday problems – a broken typewriter, a rattling CD player or other essential gadgets that have broken down. A moving story about people on the fringes of society whose lives are shaped by both inner fragility and great creativity.

Nicolas Philibert, with a stripped-down, almost artisanal approach, invites you on a unique journey where small, everyday tangles become a door to a deeper understanding of life itself. With warmth, humor and a sense of humanity, he captures moments that touch – a reminder that we all carry our own machines that need fixing.

* * * * * ” Let what happens happen without disturbing, with discreet presence, unusual people are portrayed who become like close friends ” – Franceinfo Culture
* * * * “ Intimate , moving and humanistic ” – Bande à part
* * * * “ The culmination of Nicolas Philibert’s triptych; after the imaginary and the symbolic, the problems of reality make themselves known. ” – Cahiers du Cinéma
* * * * “ Moving, shows the necessity and difficulty of repairing the living. ” – L'Obs
* * * * “ Filled with tenderness and humanity, a simple and touching story is woven. ” – Le Parisien
* * * * “ Funny, light-hearted and profound. ” – Le Point