Every once in a while, a first-time filmmaker comes out with a movie that surprises with its precise execution, the depth of its themes, and the unique audiovisual ambience it creates. One such film arrives this week: “The Assessment,” the debut independent picture by a French visual artist who hitherto has directed mostly music videos, Fleur Fortuné. 

Set in an authoritarian, futuristic world, its story revolves around a couple seeking approval to become parents. Exploring a stilted, stifled society sheltered from a wider dystopian landscape, the film impresses with its dark humor, resonant intelligence, and emotional truth.