The Balconettes

A Noémie

The Balconettes, Noémie Merlant's second feature, shines with bright colors and bold thematic explorations. Set during a heat wave in Marseille, the film offers a lively, dynamic view of life through the lens of three women living in neighboring apartments. Right from the opening scene, with an aerial shot showing the building facades and their blue shutters, the film captures the aesthetic essence and vibrant warmth of the city. This first glimpse is reminiscent of Hitchcock's famous "Rear Window", but Merlant adds a unique touch with her trademark style.

The film opens with a highly successful sequence in which a woman, apparently exhausted and covered in bruises, rebels against her abusive husband. This opening scene not only captures the viewer's attention, but also sets the intense, dramatic tone that permeates the entire film. But The Balconettes doesn't limit itself to an exploration of domestic violence. On the contrary, Noémie Merlant skilfully blends comedy and supernatural horror to create a work that celebrates female solidarity and friendship.

Nicole (played by Sanda Codreanu), Ruby (Souheila Yacoub) and Élise (Merlant herself) are the main protagonists. Nicole is a shy, dreamy writer, inspired by a charming neighbor she observes from her balcony. Ruby, a confident, uninhibited camgirl, brings a charge of energy and spontaneity to the group, while Élise, an actress on the run from an oppressive boyfriend, completes the trio with her eccentric personality and Marilyn Monroe looks. The dynamic between these three women is the beating heart of the film, which alternates between moments of comedy and situations of extreme tension.

The Balconettes is reminiscent of Almodóvar's work, with comic scenes so absurd they leave the viewer breathless. However, Noémie Merlant always keeps in mind the political message against abuse and violence, avoiding the trap of trivialization. The film uses certain tropes of revenge against rape, but does so with a conscience that avoids reducing men to mere antagonists. Noémie Merlant shows that women don't need to belittle men to reclaim their bodies or their equality, which makes her an ideal director for this type of contamination.

What's more, Evgenia Alexandrova's cinematography perfectly captures the protagonists, individually and together, in long shots and close-ups that underline their growing collective strength. Scenes set in flat interiors and those on Marseille's spacious balconies are lit by warm, saturated light, creating a visual contrast with the film's darker themes.

A remarkable aspect of the film is its ability to change tone when necessary, a challenge that many horror comedies made by men often fail to meet. Sexual violence and trauma are treated with the necessary gravity, without ever being reduced to mere narrative devices. On the contrary, Noémie Merlant allows the viewer to see the devastating impact of these experiences on the characters, making the film as much a serious drama as a dark comedy.

Scenes of dark humor, such as the one where the protagonists buy suspicious equipment in a DIY store, are delightfully surreal and add a dimension of madness to the film. These comic moments never detract from the deeper message, but rather reinforce it, showing the resilience and creativity of the women in finding solutions to their problems.

The Balconettes is a fresh, funny film that prioritizes comedy without sacrificing its horror and suspense elements. It's a work that celebrates female strength and solidarity in a bold and unexpected way, proving that Noémie Merlant is a talented filmmaker. The film is destined to become a landmark in contemporary cinema, offering a fresh and provocative look at the representation of women on the silver screen.

The Balconettes 
Directed by Noémie Merlant
Written by Noémie Merlant, Céline Sciamma
Produced by Pierre Guyard
Starring Souheila Yacoub, Noémie Merlant, Sanda Codreanu
Cinematography : Evgenia Alexandrova
Edited by Julien Lacheray
Music by Uèle Lamore
Production company : Nord-Ouest Films
Distributed by Tandem (France)
Release date : 19 May 2024 (Cannes)
Running time : 105 minutes

Seen May 24, 2024 at Gaumont Opéra Premier, Room 1

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