Love poem, restless dream, troubled history, alchemist’s scrapbook — Leos Carax’s “It’s Not Me” is pure cinema as it dances through its dense 42 minutes. He crafted this indelibly personal and eccentric film in response to a prompt he was given from the Pompidou Center in Paris: “Where are you at, Leos Carax?”
The answer sends the filmmaker, 64, back to beginnings. That means reflections on bad dads, artistic inspirations, his piano-playing daughter, and the 20th century in all its light and darkness, its movies and mass destruction. Carax creates a dynamic, even chaotic, collage of moments — including Denis Lavant and Juliette Binoche in clips from his movies “Mauvais Sang” (1986) and “Holy Motors” (2012) — alongside quotations and songs. (Among the audiovisual references: David Bowie, Jonas Mekas, the Apollo 17 astronauts, Nina Simone, Tintin, The Fall.)
“It’s Not Me” displays the “can he do that?” spark that made his features cinematic events, here on a shaggier, smaller scale. Carax’s smoky voice-over, bold title cards and patchwork style might evoke Jean-Luc Godard’s later enigmas, but the film feels more like late-night conversations with a beloved, weirdo friend. How can you not love a filmmaker who portrays his writing method as scribbling in his sleep, surrounded by pets?
One idea the film nurtures is that speed is of the essence (and the definition of motion pictures). You can slow down and pore over its references, or you can let Carax’s cinematic flow glide you along. The lovely “Annette”-inspired coda should bring a twinkle to your eye.
It’s Not MeNot rated. Running time: 42 minutes. In theaters and available to rent or buy on most major platforms.bwin