Ni le ciel ni la terre

The hypnotic NEITHER HEAVEN NOR EARTH follows a detachment of French troops stationed on the border of Afghanistan and Pakistan. When soldiers begin to disappear without a trace, the commander's first thought is that they were abducted by the Taliban. He initiates a furious quest into enemy territory, but falls short of finding the answers he seeks. Clement Cogitore's transfixing debut feature, which premiered at the Cannes Critics' Week, does not focus on the physical damages inflicted by war, instead it's a metaphysical exploration of souls lost on the periphery of a world at war with itself. (Sarasota Film Festival)