The Absence (1992 film)

The Absence is a 1992 French-German-Spanish drama film directed by Peter Handke. It follows the journey of four nameless people: the old man, the woman, the soldier, and the gambler. The film is based on Handke's novella with the same name. It premiered in competition at the 49th Venice International Film Festival.

Cast

Bruno Ganz as the gambler
Jeanne Moreau as the writer's wife
Alex Descas as the soldier
Eustaquio Barjau as the writer
Sophie Semin as the young woman
Arielle Dombasle

Release

The film premiered on 6 September 1992 in competition at the 49th Venice International Film Festival. It was released in France on 20 January 1993 and Germany on 24 February 1994.

Reception

Thomas Quinn Curtiss wrote in The New York Times: "The movie, being shown at the film festival here, follows four people - an old man, a young woman, a soldier and a player - as they walk about an imaginary topography across continents, hoping to escape from their everyday existence.... They pontificate and recite monologues, but as they arrive at no conclusions the spectator may wonder whether their journey was really necessary."