Andrzej Zulawski made his second French film, La femme publique in 1984 and it is the film he made after Possession. Valarie Kaprisky stars as Ethel who enters the film as a character with an untapped potential. Her intense personality is seen early on during a dance performance that is photographed for money. In this sequence Ethel transforms a standard nude photography session into something indescribable, highly personal and frighteningly authentic. All the while, intentionally horrendous 80s style electronic music blares to demonstrate a form of modern alchemy. This is another Zulawski exploration into the heart of a soul seeking an existence that defies any acceptance of a vapid world.
Ethel winds up auditioning for a role in a film version of Dostoyevsky's The Possessed. The director of this film is Lucas Kessling who is played by Francis Huster. Lucas is taken by Ethel's presence and casts her in his film. They develop an erratic relationship on and off the set of the film. A chain of events occur where Lucas becomes progressively more displeased with Ethel's acting skills. The director has inconceivable expectations for the actors in his film and Ethel is held to the highest standard of all as she is the female lead opposite Lucas who is also starring in his own film. This hall of mirrors approach connects with both Zulawski's past and future film work at the time in which La femme publique was made.
La femme publique takes an impossible to predict turn when Ethel finds herself in a wildly delirious relationship with a Czech terrorist, Milan Mliska (Lambert Wilson). Her future as an actress in The Possessed becomes in question because of Lucas' frustration with Ethel's output. She finds herself acting the part of another role in a life situation not being filmed whatsoever. She acts as lover in Milan's life and through this Ethel becomes a vastly improved actress. In the Zulawski world of creation, if something is being done it needs to be embraced fully. Ethel's transmutation comes from the drive to go all the way with what whatever she is committing herself to. This is seen at one of her follow up dance photography sessions. Ethel dances with such potent emotions that it becomes too much for the photographer to handle and he passes out. While the photographer is lying on the ground Ethel leafs through some of the photographs he has taken or her. The photographs are only of her body from the neck down. Ethel was pouring out her soul through this form of self expression for a photographer with the most base reaction imaginable.
The style of La femme publique is top-notch. Director of photography, Sacha Vierny shoots all characters and landscapes with absolute love. Zulawski's hyperactive camera movements gloriously capture an overabundance of contrasted settings and locations. Ethel is seen running through the streets, old buildings and pastoral fields while The Possessed is being made. As seen towards the end of Possession, Zulawski is entirely capable of directing exciting and engaging action scenes when he feels so inspired. These scenes are so tremendous because they are unexpected and speak to the level of Zulawski creating his own cinematic rules and tonal shifts. La femme publique has a gripping car chase sequence and anticipates more of the genre defying moments of his next film, L'amour braque.
Eventually, Ethel winds up back on the set of The Possessed. Her natural talent now mixed with a full determination to be the best she can be leads to a breakthrough performance that leaves Lucas astonished. Much has been written about the film within a film structure in La femme publique. Many have commented that Lucas is a direct extension of Zulawski. While it is tempting to draw parallel lines, Zulawski states in the Mondo Vision commentary that Lucas was not meant to be a version of himself. The story actually derives from a real life experience of co-writer Dominique Garnier who posed for nude photographs while trying to fulfill assorted artistic ambitions and dreams. La femme publique vividly demonstrates Zulawski's challenging yet sensitive touch towards female characters in his films. It also draws upon an ongoing theme in Zulawski's films, the need for self discovery and self expression in a world that has little or no use for it.
BAM screened what has turned out to be the roughest print in the Zulawski series so far. For the most part it was fine though some blurring and imperfections came about here and there. Ultimately, it was delightful to finally see this great film theatrically.
