This is Erick Zonca's debut film.
Erick Zonca spent a lot of his life (like a main character in this film, Isa) job hopping from place to place untill finally at the age 30, he entered the film making industry as he had set out to do since high school. First an apprentice, then an assistant and later on, started directing TV documentaries. It was 1992 that he produced three short films. All were successful with the festivals they were presented.
At 42, Erick directed The Dreamlife of Angels which would win various awards including Best film, best actress (Elodie Bouchez and Natacha Regnier), most promising actress (Natacha Regnier), another best actress (Elodie Bouchez) and was nomitated on the grounds of best first work, best director, best writing and best cinematography.
Isa is a drifter who is searching for her lover of whom she met in the summer. She survives by job hopping and selling cards which she makes by cutting out images of magazines. When her search for the man she met proves unsuccessful, she takes a job with a sewing factory that a man she had met the previous day offered her. There she meets Marie. The two connect sharing stories of how harshly life has treated them. Marie suggests Isa stay at the house she is living in which was occupied by a mother and a daughter who are now in hospital from being in a car crash. Isa and Marie meet up with two bouncers who work at a club called The Blue. At first having been involved with a dispute with the bouncers, Isa and Marie and the two bouncers (Charly and Fredo) befriend realizing that they are not too different from each other.
Marie eventually meets and becomes romantic with the owner of two clubs (one of which Charly and Fredo work for) called Chris. Marie, having past problems with her father, seems to have a massive chip on her shoulder for guys who mess about with girls. Marie eventually realizes that Chris is also seeing other women behind her back. At first being devastated, Marie falls into a self destructing spiral of returning to Chris for romance. In the meantime, Isa spends most of her time searching for new jobs and writing letters in a diary she discovered at the house Marie is occupying. The diary belongs to Sandrine who lived in the house with her mother but now due to the car accident, is in a coma. Isa becomes almost a friend to her by frequently visiting her in the hospital and reading entrys from her diary.
Chris visits Isa to ask her if she would do the task of breaking up with Marie for him. Isa doesn't feel this is her duty and leaves it up to Chris himself. Chris never does tell Marie that he doesn't want to see her anymore. Marie becomes anxious with getting a response back from Chris but never does. In a heated argument that seems to be about how pathetic each others lives are, Isa tells Marie that Chris came by and told her that it was over three days ago. Marie and Isa decide to go there seperate ways but soon realize that they are alone without each other. Isa returns to bid her farewell but Marie is asleep in bed. Isa decides to write her a note (which is unclear if Marie actually read or not) As Isa is leaving the house, she hears a noise which she beleives is Marie waking up, only on return does she realize that Marie had ended her life by jumping out her window.
I will insert a short clip from the movie as I can't seem to find a tralier and I have already given quite a long rundown of the film!
A beautiful film with absolutely fantastic perfomances. A lot of the scenes in this film really have the ability to jump out and affect you. One scene in paticular for me, was the first time Isa visits Sandrine in the hospital. The way Sandrine's body was draped across the bed, you wouldn't beleive you are watching an actor perform but you would infact beleive that this situation was quite real. Infact, this film was praised for the extremley accurate portrayl of a comatose patient. Though each performance in this film, really does bring a reality. Two very different girls living together both deal with their lives in their own way. Perhaps a viewer can really relate to the actions of one of the characters, and with that, we find out how hard it is to step into someone elses shoes because of the unexpected nature of the one you don't empathize with.
Australian Distribution!
http://www.palacefilms.com.au/
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