The Soft Parade

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Alceste, our protagonist, is a 60-year-old solitary cynic that dies of a motorcycle accident within the first scene. He awakes shortly after in the Hall of Ma’at: the judgment room (of ancient Egyptian beliefs). A courtroom, strange and psychedelic somewhere in the nebulous world between life and the afterlife. Egyptian Gods and four jurors, greet our protagonist. At first Alceste – understandably- is speechless, in a bit of a shock, he tries to process where he’s just landed. A judge arrives. The trial begins. Alceste is shown his life and is asked to defend himself for his actions on earth, but in the eyes of the Gods it’s a lost cause. Alceste has failed the test. As is customary, his heart is taken from him and is weighed on grand scales against the feather of Ma’at. His heart is heavier than the feather. The test is failed. His soul is not worthy. His life wasn’t. The “water of forgetfulness” is forced upon him, erasing his memory, rendering him a blank canvas, another life awaiting him, another opportunity. Another shot at it: life.

Directed by Adrien Dupagne (UK)

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