Do you ever run the same encounter over and over again in your head? Even if it hasn’t actually happened yet? As humans, we’re often incredibly skilled at overthinking every situation. Playing out each possible scenario in our heads, running through every possible permutation; trying to vouchsafe every eventuality or outcome. If you could live the same day over and over again, what would you change? Oliver Krimpas’ debut feature, Around the Sun, approaches the question from several different angles.
Bernard (Gethin Anthony), a film location scout, arrives at a chateau in Normandy. He is met by Maggie (Cara Theobold), a representative of the property’s owners. She informs him that it will take an entire day to do justice to the whole estate and tells him the tale of Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle, a 17th century writer whose famous science-fiction book Conversations on the Plurality of Worlds was written and set there. Over the course of an afternoon the pair act out a number of scenarios.
Around the Sun envelops itself in philosophy, history and identity, allowing its protagonists to dance circles around each other. With an air of the theatrical, which is enhanced by the chapter format, Krimpas’ two-hander relies heavily on its stars, and they do not disappoint. Their conversations, flirtations and observations spark off each other through concurrent rendezvous. Around the Sun is a strange and highly individual treatise or the nature of life.
Around the World is released on VoD by Giant Pictures on 4 August.
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