Educational Media Reviews Online

La Maison De La Radio is a quirky and thoroughly enjoyable film focused on presenting a behind-the-airwaves look at Radio France. Here, renowned French director Nicolas Philibert delivers a documentary evoking his trademark cinematic style, inquisitive lens, and thoughtful (albeit at a considerably amped up speed) pacing. Philibert begins by showing us the grand home of Radio France, in the eye-catching crown-shaped building designed by Henry Bernard and situated on the Avenue du President Kennedy in the city’s 16th arrondissement alongside the Seine. His camera catches folks as they arrive at the building to work and it seems that Philibert is setting up a sort of “day-in-the-life-of” Radio France. And he does just that; in a fluid whirlwind hour and a half we see a richly composed approximation of a day (and night) at the station.

One by one, we’re introduced (without caption) to the key players, producers, writers, guests and crew that create the shows and broadcasts for Radio France. What makes this film so engrossing is that we’re not left to suffer a stream of talking heads discussing what they do for Radio France, we see them in action: in their sound booths, at the drafting table, in planning sessions, speaking with their sources, editing their segments, getting feedback from their producers, singing, taping, and interviewing guests.

These introductions are at times, at breakneck speed and it can be a bit difficult to keep up with who is doing what – but one of the underlying strengths of Philibert’s work here is that he balances all of that energy and action with several moments of silence – offering pure visuals in many segments throughout the film. This certainly helps numerous sections become more memorable and linger. For example, the segments with Marguerite Gateau – an exacting and thorough radio producer and director - show her painstakingly working with her sound crew and guest voices to get everything just so. Philibert wisely revisits Gateau several times, whose face is so expressive and humor and passion for her work so pronounced, that we get as much information from the scenes where she’s shown in silence listening to playbacks of a take through a set of headphones, as we do in the scenes where she’s animatedly giving direction and feedback to her staff.

The part with Alain Veinstein interviewing Benedicte Heim is also remarkable in its moments of silence – as Heim waits patiently and quietly in the sound booth, not knowing what to expect, while Veinstein prepares himself to begin the interview. Philibert’s camera remains tightly focused on Heim’s face for several minutes and distinctly reflects how uncomfortable Heim is not knowing what to do and left wondering just when will Veinstein actually begin the interview with her.

And, the dead air at the producer’s table when someone suggests they interview Justin Beiber, speaks volumes…

Other scenes rely entirely on the visuals and conversations in concert and sometimes to comedic effect as with Frédéric Lodéon, the fellow who runs a classical music show and is shown buried amongst stacks and stacks of CDs with just his head peaking out for the interview. Or, with the handful of scenes where two news editors argue about which headlines they will lead in a dialogue so organically crass and catty, we wonder if they forgot Philibert’s camera was even there.

Ultimately, Philibert has expertly stitched together many hours of close observation of the intensely busy, productive world that is Radio France providing an often interior and reflective piece albeit one with moments of frenetic effervescence.

This doc kept evoking images from Altman’s A Prairie Home Companion film about the long running, popular American live radio variety show – and I couldn’t help imagine Philibert signing on with “Well, it's been a quiet week in Paris, France, my hometown, out in the center of the world..."

Admittedly, this film may not be for everyone (in fact, it is fairly polarized amongst critics) but for this reviewer, it was a fascinating and satisfying peek behind the voices and into the hallways, sound studios, offices, staff meetings and creative minds producing the stories and music we hear on the radio.

This film is relevant to these subject areas: communication studies, documentary studies, European studies, popular culture and journalism.