Michelangelo Antonioni is a filmmaker who has piqued my interest ever since I first heard of his film 'L'Avventura' in the Netflix original 'Master of None' and then another one of his films from 'The Trilogy of Incommunicability'; 'La Notte' screened at the Habitat Centre. But in one way or another, his films have always eluded me, thus compelling me to make his most distinct work the first film I see in 2025. Following a popular novelist Giovanni & his wife Lidia, La Notte follows 24 hours in their life and their withering relationship that has run its course and has little to no hope of survival. It's a brooding and sensual work of art where the framing & staging speak more than the central characters who ache with loneliness and spiral down in isolation. With the very first frame, Antonioni showcases two buildings, one modern and the other dilapidated. From the onset, he signifies the harshness of time on buildings, humans and relationships. Architecture also becomes an integral part of the narrative as a modern apartment becomes a trap for Lidia whose lonely soul craves nothing but love & affection. In contrast, Giovanni has become stony, and can neither embrace nor console her. The brilliant film about imploding relationships pierces deeper than a sword because of its atmosphere and the tender performances of the three lead characters, who never once isolate you; they share with you what they can't with one another.