 Julian Hirsch's cinematography can be regarded as a relief to the eyes from the film's gory Holocaust theme, stated Ronnie Scheib (Variety). Jacques Mandelbaum at Le Devoir added that the beauty of scenes such as the arrival of the Romanies in caravans in their first scene and the gentle music is a stark contrast to the harsh themes of concentration camps and extermination. Odile Tremblay (Le Monde) made mention of a number of scenes, including the one where Taloche opens a tap to "free" water, and the scene with an abandoned watch implying the ghettos as the best moments of the film. Nick Schager (The Village Voice) stated that the film scores on its aesthetics in sequences depicting key elements, like the one with trains symbolising the Holocaust, and its detailed depiction of the characters'intimate practices, which bring depth to a rather predictable plot. Brian Lafferty (East County Magazine) criticised Julian Hirsch for making the sequences look dull and gloomy with insufficient lighting. The tap scene received a special mention in L'Express' review too.
