Berlin International Film Festival | 19 February

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The Competition: La Chambre des Magiciennes

La Chambre des Magiciennes

La Chambre des Magiciennesby Claude Miller

When the ARTE TV network offered director Claude Miller the opportunity to make a film for the Petites Caméras series, he jumped at the chance. With a small team, two digital cameras and a generous shooting schedule he could finally fulfill a longtime wish ­ adapting Siri Hustvedt's novel, "The Blindfold."

"There was no waiting before each take," says Miller, "which is quite a challenge for a man my age!"

Ethnology student Clare (brilliantly played by Anne Brochet) is plagued by migraine attacks shortly before her oral exams and checks into a Parisian neurological clinic. Miller directs this intimate, character-driven piece with unexpected, desperate immediacy.

"The digital camera gives the film a documentary quality," says Miller, "which poses a particular challenge to the actors' credibility." This unflinching approach provides an interesting friction with Miller's flair for the grotesque and puzzling, as well as creating an atmosphere which oscillates between reality and fantasy.

Director:
Claude Miller
Cast:
Anne Brochet, Mathilde Seigner, Annie Noel
Running time: 80 mins

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