The Balconettes - SIFF [2025]
Film
This film was viewed at the 51st Seattle International Film Festival
Drenched in bright colors and dripping in sweat is Noémie Merlant's sophomore directorial feature film, The Balconettes, which sees her star in and co-write as well. Joining forces again with Céline Sciamma-of the terrific Portrait of a Lady on Fire-and Pauline Munier to write the script, creates an outrageously entertaining, and at times wildly quirky, film that doubles as a thesis statement on the reclamation of female sexualization. Doing so, immediately, might I add, as the opening sequence features a woman suffocating her husband by sitting on his face. The double entendre of this sexualized scenario flipping the power dynamic of traditional relationships on its head, culminating in the death of the man, is but a mere taste of what Merlant has in store in this sprawling, sometimes unfocused yet always intriguing film.
The triptych perspectives of the three leads form the foundation, allowing Merlant to weave their experiences together into a gorgeous tapestry of feminine rage, sadness, horror, and ultimately freedom. Ruby (Souheila Yacoub) often engages in displays of this freedom. She works as a cam-girl, which appears to be for her own pleasure instead of the gaggle of men that peer through her camera-throwing comments of varying levels of implied sexual violence that Ruby will never read nor answer-and just like her male counterparts likes to beat the heat wave by being topless on her and Nicole's (Sanda Codreanu) balcony. Whoops and jeers from the men in the apartments nearby pour down to Nicole's horror, but Ruby couldn't care less. "They're just boobs" she defiantly shouts while shaking her chest in the air. The Balconettes finds ways to distill these early occurrences throughout the entire runtime, but through wildly different mechanisms. Even Elise (Merlant) arrives to the friends' balcony dressed in a Marilyn Monroe costume-she's an actress that's just fled from set-which couldn't be more on the nose. But through all of Merlant's heavy-handed visuals and ideas, The Balconettes finds ways to thoroughly entertain and subvert expectations through sure-handed direction and delightful aesthetics.
Chloé Cambournac, Jeanne Lecrivain and Emmanuelle Youchnovski as the production, set, and costume designers, respectively, craft stunning displays of bombastic colors that elevate each and every sequence. The Marseilles heat wave, instead of that disgusting yellow filter you see in every movie, is conveyed through every essence of the production design that makes me want to sit out on my balcony to beat the heat. Note, it is 52 degrees and cloudy here, but I can dream. Even amidst the sensational saturation of Merlant's film, and the flipping of sexual power dynamics, The Balconettes contorts itself too much with the inclusion of a supernatural element meant to strengthen its incisive commentary, but unfortunately dulls it more than anything. Nicole, a writer, becomes so enamored with her neighbor across the street, a photographer named Magnani (Lucas Bravo), that she writes her next story about their fictitious relationship. After the three women are invited over to Magnani's for a drink, Ruby comes home delirious and covered in blood. Magnani, is dead. On one side, this launches a screwball comedy involving the three friends hiding the body and avoiding suspicion, whereas on the other, Magnani and a litany of other dead men reappear as ghosts to "haunt" Nicole.
These apparitions apply a straightline horror element to The Balconettes but the real terror is the implied-and actual-assaults occurring. The jeers from men while the women are on their balcony, the opening sequence, every interaction with Elise's abusive boyfriend Paul (Christophe Montenez) are all perfect instances of dread-inducing moments that drive Merlant's film perfectly. This is especially true for Elise's visit to her gynecologist, when she puts her legs in the stirrups and waits patiently for what feels like ages, as her apathetic doctor sits at his desk. Merlant bares it all on screen in the defining moment of The Balconettes where Elise is at the mercy of yet another man, one that should be helping her more than anything, but it also represents a direct challenge to the audience. There's no where to run, no where to hide, and certainly no where to look as we're fixated on Elise's vulnerability and a somber subtext of impending violence. With a scene like this, there simply isn't the need to dilute the harsh reality and rebuke of the patriarchy with silly ghost stories that are resolved as absurdly as they begin.
Unfortunately, even if this supernatural element is a small aspect of Merlant's film, it takes on a life larger than expected. Unbinding an otherwise cohesive tone and relegating The Balconettes into a slightly confusing mixture of realism and surrealism, horror and comedy. But if there's one thing to take away, it's the strength of Merlant as a filmmaker and, of course, her continued stellar performances as she continues to raise the bar and take on compelling and important narratives to highlight.
Froth
Speaking of genre-bending, let's talk about the Quick Kick IPA from Here Today Brewing!
While it might sound like your run of the mill IPA, it's anything but. Brewed with smoked grapefruit alongside Citra and Amarillo hops, the Quick Kick IPA is all over the place with its flavor. And I'm saying that as complementarily as possible. The bright coloring matches the visual aesthetic of Merlant's film, while it is exploding with refreshing citrus and floral flavors. Not to mention, both of these hops work tremendously well with their provided aromas matching the base tastes. Then this ole smoked grapefruit comes in and adds some tremendous depth. The bitterness from the grapefruit accents the hops perfectly, and the smokiness brings everything all together for a delicious group hug that gets better with every sip. Every sip offers the chance to experience something completely different through taste or smell. I've thoroughly enjoyed the previous IPAs and Hazy IPAs from Here Today, and it's fun that they keep pushing the envelope with new (well, new to me) ways to twist the beer drinking experience. They have a cocktail IPA on their board that I'm dying to try.
