REVIEW: ‘On the Adamant’ documents the value of community
Photo: On the Adamant features a community together around art and conversation. Photo courtesy of Kino Lorber / Provided with permission.
The new documentary On the Adamant, winner of the 2023 Berlin Golden Bear award, is an extraordinarily intimate look at a community of people who come together to share in the camaraderie of art, conversation and humanity. The Adamant is a floating refuge on the Seine River in Paris, according to press notes, and members of the local community who have mental illness board the ship to participate in day programs. What transpires is revealing. The documentarian, Nicolas Philibert, showcases real human connection, including triumphs and struggles, all framed by the healing power of art.
There are no in-depth discussions of mental illness throughout the film. In fact, there’s not much context offered on exactly what the Adamant is and what brings each person to its feeling of safety and connection.
Instead, Philibert decides to humanize each subject by letting them speak their mind, often on a host of topics and in many different situations. One of the best additions to the film is when the visitors to the barge make abstract pieces of art and then stand before their creations, explaining the details and sometimes defending their choices. Other scenes focus on the conversational reasoning and friendly debates between staff members and visitors, with everyone listening and absorbing the content of each person’s contributions to the collective discussion.
In the end, viewers are left with a fascinating and instructive alternative in how to address mental health on a community level. Perhaps some tactics don’t work perfectly, and there is clearly some getting used to this unique approach of letting people talk out their opinions, perspectives and beliefs. But the documentary offers enough evidence that clearly displays this novel approach to healthcare is worth the consideration and investment because these individuals are treated with respect, dignity and patience. Everyone is heard and accepted, even when there are clashing ideas or differing viewpoints.
On the Adamant, which is now playing in movie theaters, offers a humane approach to pressing issues that are debated in society. Those debates are largely kept out of the film; instead, there is a focus on humans talking about art, themselves and life. Nothing is perfect, but everyone is cared for.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
On the Adamant (2023). In French with English subtitles. Directed by Nicolas Philibert. Running time: 109 minutes. Rating: 
