Ozon‘s “The Stranger” Reimagines Camus‘ Classic with Anti-Colonial Lens
Paris,France – November 5,2025 – François Ozon’s adaptation of Albert Camus’ ”The stranger” premiered today in French-speaking cinemas,presenting a stark black and white reimagining of the existential novel set in 1938 Algiers. This marks Ozon’s fourth adaptation of literary works since 1998, following “8 femmes,” ”Sous le sable,” “Potiche,” and “Grâce à Dieu.”
the film adheres to the core narrative: Meursault (Benjamin Voisin) receives news of his mother’s death via telegram,attends the funeral with apparent detachment,and later becomes involved in a relationship and a fateful encounter leading to a murder.The ensuing trial focuses not only on the act itself, but on Meursault’s perceived lack of grief.
Ozon immediately subverts the novel’s iconic opening, replacing “Today, mom is dead” with “I killed an Arab,” and concludes the film with the Cure’s “Killing an Arab.” This choice, alongside a prologue featuring archival footage of Algiers and its French colonial context, underscores a intentional anti-colonialist interpretation.
The film employs a formal dryness and stylistic influence from Robert Bresson, utilizing a chiseled black and white aesthetic. While Ozon occasionally incorporates voice-over readings of key passages from Camus’ novel, he also introduces moments of sensualization and didactic musical cues, diverging from Camus’ emphasis on immanence.
despite challenges in fully revealing the world to Meursault, the adaptation is lauded as a accomplished cinematic translation of a literary masterpiece.
Starring Benjamin Voisin, Rebecca Marder, and Pierre Lottin, “The Stranger” is now playing in French-speaking cinemas.
