An immersion “In body” and soul in the world of dance, by Cédric Klapisch

© Emmanuelle Jacobson-Roques

REVIEW — With his fourteenth feature film En corps, Cédric Klapisch proves that he still has things to say and that he knows how to say them, especially how to film them. The universe into which he immerses us is that of dance. A theme that fascinates him and with which he is particularly familiar: in 2005 in Les Poupées Russes, he filmed a Bolshoi ballerina at the Mariinsky theater, then in 2010 he directed the documentary on star dancer Aurélie Dupont, which earned him a Fipa d'Or. With En corps, he devotes himself extensively to this environment which fascinates him, and manages to make it fascinating.

In an intense first scene lasting around fifteen minutes, Cédric Klapisch immerses us behind the scenes of a show at the Paris Opera. Almost without dialogue, we already focus on what the body transmits in emotion and energy. As she prepares to enter the stage, the first dancer of the show, Élise Gautier, played by Manon Barbeau, sees her boyfriend kissing another dancer backstage. Disoriented, she has no other choice but to play her role. She enters the stage and perfectly executes movements that she has rehearsed many times. Only her gaze betrays her thoughts, but the audience does not pay attention, carried away in the whirlwind of her tutu and the grace of her openings. Nothing can betray the bubbling brewing inside his body. Nothing, except a fall in the middle of the show which forces the curtains to suddenly come down.

Injured in the ankle, Élise learns that she has little chance of regaining the original flexibility of her ankle, and therefore of dancing again. Between Paris and Brittany, through meetings and experiences, she gets closer to a contemporary dance company. This new way of dancing allows him to find new momentum, and a new way of living. The body is the center of attention. Cédric Klapisch films him from all angles, in his movements, in an almost experimental way at times. In any case in a style that we did not know before… From the aerial specific to classical dance, he very accurately manages to make a transition to contemporary dance. Little by little, the bodies anchor themselves in the ground. The movements are clearer, less light, more energetic.

Cédric Klapisch films the body, but also provides a reflection on its mysteries. On the path to healing her ankle, Élise realizes that she must also relieve the pain in her soul. Perhaps it is even the dysfunction of this which is at the origin of his injury; destabilized by the world which collapsed before her eyes behind the scenes, Élise in turn collapsed on stage, losing the stability in her supports. To heal, she must find balance. This is where we can see the genius of Cédric Klapisch: everything suggests, during the opening scene, yet another melodrama about a woman who is deceived by her companion. But the issue of the film is elsewhere, in the deconstruction of the body, its articulation, that of the ankles – but also the articulation between the body and the mind, the articulation between fragility and strength, the articulation between two bodies which also meet and intermingle, to rebuild themselves. By mixing professional actors and professional dancers, Cédric Klapisch made no mistake. This is even what gives the film its accuracy. For Manon Barbeau (Élise), principal dancer at the Paris Opera, this is her first role on the big screen. If in the first scenes, we have difficulty connecting with her emotions, we become attached to her as the story progresses. The harshness of his expressions ultimately becomes a strength in his acting. The characters who surround him on his journey all have their role to play and are perfectly embodied by actors whose acting harmonizes like a choreography. François Civil (Yan) plays a physiotherapist who is endearing in his clumsiness, Denis Podalydès plays a lawyer father gifted in pleading, who paradoxically does not know how to talk to his daughters, Muriel Robin, in the role of owner of an artist's residence, plays a substitute mother for a time for Élise is astonishingly benevolent, Pio Marmaï (Loïc), in a fierce and wild role, forms a canteen couple on screen with Souheila Yacoub (Sabrina), refreshingly spontaneous. Choreographer Hofesh Shechter plays himself and also created the music for the film with Thomas Bangalter. The dancers Germain Louvet, Alexia Giordano, Damien Chapelle, Mehdi Baki, also fully take their place as actors, in addition to being captivating as dancers.

In bodyis a real ode to dance, movement and the body. The film's pitch, although simple, is ultimately full of complexity, because it is associated with reflections that go beyond the simple intellectual framework of relationships to reflect on what the body has to say, to hide, to reveal. Cédric Klapisch creates an exciting story, perfectly exploiting the cinematographic possibilities provided by body movements, rhythm variations, synchronicities… while retaining what has made his identity as a director since The Spanish Inn: creating a recreational atmosphere in which one feels good, capable of healing all wounds. En corps, 1h58min, a film by Cédric Klapisch, in theaters on March 30, 2022. “A people”, faithful immersion in the epic of the Yellow Vests CRITICAL — On November 17, 2018, the Yellow Vests began a movement that will mark history. In the documentary film “A People”, director Emmanuel Gras ch… February 25, 2022 – 6:38 p.m. Culture “Goliath”: a real societal lesson against an environmentalist backdrop CRITICAL — If his committed dimension will surely prevent him from flirting with the biggest, "Goliath" still lives up to its name. The long time of filmmaking… March 14, 2022 – 12:00 Culture

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