In my opinion it's very simple to tell a good director from a bad one. Good directors don;t need to fill every shot with action or narrative. They can replace 10 minutes of dialogue with one long shot to tell a story. Denis is a great director. She has heart and she is prepared to use any means at her disposal to communicate with her audience. Trouble Every Day proved that.
White Material is the story of a plantation owners wife (Huppert) struggling to retain what she feels is rightfully hers. Set in Africa (I believe in Cameroon) this is a story of Africa and what happens when your life falls apart. Huppert is stunning as ever, jumping from start to end of the narrative, painting a picture of the country and the nature of White ownership. Her devotion to the plantation and her son, the alienation of her family and the effect of chaos and tragedy on the lives of normal people.
This is beautifully filmed, poetic and considered. Forget the horrible western films about Africa such as Hotel Rwanda. She really is one of the best living directors.
