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WHEN THE SEA RISES Send This Review to a Friend
Perhaps the most original of the 2005 Rendez-vous with French Cinema series was “When the Sea Rises,” now getting its overdue commercial release. It was co-directed with Gilles Porte by Yolande Moreau, who also stars as Irène, a performance artist who travels through the north of France with her strange one-person show, “A Dirty Business.”
Irène wins over audiences with her off-beat costuming, funny lines and bizarre approach. Moreau is fascinating, a heavy-set woman who is extremely charming in the role. Although married, Irène meets Dries (Wim Willert), a virile-looking man with whom she gradually moves toward a relationship. Willert, a most compelling actor, adds considerably to the chemistry.
The growth of intimacy is handled sensitively, and much of the film shimmers with a magical aura. The performances of the play enacted, the use of locales and the feeling developed for the itinerant star combine to be mesmerizing. Moreau is a startling talent before and behind the camera. Asked at the French luncheon held in connection with the series what the most difficult aspect of making this unique film was, she replied that it was raising the money.
Much remains unstated in “When the Sea Rises” concerning Irène’s connections in life when she is not on he road, but we sense plenty about her feelings, conflicts and desires.
A New Yorker Films release.
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