Director: François Ozon
Country of origin and year: France, 1997
Language: French
Subtitles: English (USA R1)
Bonus Features subtitled?: a short film, "Une Robe d'Été," which is subtitled

This short film (58 minutes) is nothing but a shocking psychothriller, much to my pleasure, which explores some of the issues that we are left wondering about. Basically, the film illustrates the life of a English mother (Sasha) with a ten months old baby living in the solitude of a vacation home on the coast far from Paris where Sasha's husband works. One day, a female backpacker comes along, and askes Sasha for her permission to camp out in the backyard. This leads to a strange friendship between them, which we become increasingly uncomfortable with as the film progresses on.

First of all, the film starts off very slowly as we watch Sasha's tedious task of taking care of her baby; which she seems distinterested about. She seems as if she has abandoned herself of any emotions and has a hard time bonding with the baby. One day, she takes the baby to the beach, and it is obvious that she has no time for herself, as she is constantly busy keeping the baby entertained. We can sense her disconsolateness.

The evening when there are knockings on the door, we are shocked as Sasha leaves the baby alone in the bathtub to answer the door. It is Tatianna at the door, the backpacker, who has asked to camp out in the backyard. Initially, Sasha would have preferred that she camp elsewhere. Yet, Tatianna has managed to convince her in permitting her to camp. Later on, we see Sasha pleasuring herself with a chair. It is a sign that she is so disconnected from reality, because her husband has not seen her for a while. Thus, Tatianna is welcomed eventually into Sasha's life, since it means that Sasha could have contact with civilisation at last.

They go out to the beach together, and Tatianna hints to Sasha that the gay men are going at it in the woods on the verge of the beach. Sasha becomes rather curious about it, too curious enough to abandon her baby in the middle of the beach as she walks off to the woods. There, she has an encounter with a man, which satisifies her lingering craviness. She returns to the beach to miraculously see the baby ok and intact.

As the story goes on, we see more and more clues that Tatianna is nothing but a demented young woman, especially from the conversations they share and the questions Tatianna has about Sasha's pregnancy. The ending is a bit of a shocker and heart wretching. Hint: "Sasha, la chatte rasée et cousue." I will have to admit that this film is not for everyone, and that it might require a bit of a strong stomach and an open mind to watch this film. I give this film three stars.