Quartile rating: 6.5/10 · 1 rating
Shot over three years on the borders between Iraq, Kurdistan, Syria and Lebanon, the film depicts the everyday struggles of people attempting to rebuild their lives amongst the devastating effects of civil wars, dictatorships, foreign invasions, and the deadly presence of ISIS.
Gianfranco Rosi's observational documentary is defined above all by its extraordinary cinematography — long, patient, hauntingly composed takes that transform geopolitical catastrophe into intimate human portraiture. The film has no conventional plot or narrative arc, instead assembling fragmented vignettes of survivors, soldiers, and the traumatized, which gives it a meditative but somewhat directionless quality that weakens its cumulative emotional impact. The ending drifts rather than resolves, leaving viewers without a sense of closure or revelation. Novelty is solid — Rosi's signature slow-cinema approach is distinctive within documentary filmmaking — but Sacro GRA and Fuocoammare already established this template, making Notturno feel more like a continuation than a breakthrough. The human subjects carry an inherent dignity and authenticity that substitutes for conventional 'acting,' though the film's non-interventionist stance limits character depth.