Directed by Claire Denis, “Beau Travail” is a visually stunning, loosely adapted retelling of Herman Melville’s “Billy Budd”, set within the French Foreign Legion in Djibouti. The film follows Galoup (Denis Lavant), a disciplined but increasingly unhinged sergeant major, as he reflects on his time commanding a troop of legionnaires — particularly his obsessive jealousy toward the charismatic young recruit, Gilles Sentain (Grégoire Colin). Through hypnotic military drills, vast desert landscapes, and Galoup’s brooding voiceover, the film explores themes of masculinity, repressed desire, and the destructive nature of envy. The story builds to a crescendo of alienation and violence, culminating in one of cinema’s most iconic and enigmatic final scenes.

Time: 6:00-8:00 pm EST

Free!