Finis Terrae (1929)

Four men set out on a three month expedition to Bannec, an islet off the coast of Brittany. They intend to harvest seaweed, which will fetch high prices if burned and processed properly. But cabin fever sets in and an argument over a broken bottle of wine escalates the extreme tension. Written and directed by Jean Epstein. The title FINIS TERRAE is Latin for "end of the world". Epstein's silent film is shot in a stark documentary style and uses non professional actors. Visually, the film is stunning with its bleak B&W imagery (four cinematographers are credited). Its psychological dramatization of the isolation and paranoia that sets in and threatens to destroy the camaraderie of the men has been likened to Robert Eggers' THE LIGHTHOUSE. But the movie isn't as dark and if one couldn't call it a "happy" ending, it reconciles the psychosis. With Jean Marie Laot, Ambroise Rouzic, Gibois and Francois Morin.