Mademoiselle Kenopsia is a singular mesmerizing puzzle where a brilliant lead performance explores a seemingly surreal world, leaving audiences captivated and deep in thought.
Denis Côté’s Mademoiselle Kenopsia, which made its North American Premiere at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival, is a mesmerizing, rich, bewildering, and enchanting experimental masterpiece. The film begins with a series of long takes, showcasing an evidently abandoned location – a place that once teemed with life but now stands empty. It appears to be an old hospital, its walls slightly decrepit, the paint fading, and the sunlight that filters through has weathered the colors within. The place feels inhospitable and desolate until we discover a young woman, brilliantly portrayed by Larissa Corriveau. She is elegantly dressed in a white shirt, her hair freshly wet, neatly combed back. She seems to be alone in this space, navigating it with an air of familiarity, as if she knows every nook and cranny. She reacts with surprise to even the slightest unusual noise, as if she is the guardian of this place, its sole custodian, taking her role very seriously. She appears both as its protector and its prisoner. She seems to cherish the place as much as she is confined within it, thanks to the remarkable spatialization of the set captured by the camera.
This initially bewildering context is anchored by the captivating presence of the young woman, and as a viewer, one accepts the setting and situation. When she finally breaks the silence, her words carry even greater weight as no one else speaks, and we are eager to understand, to decipher what we see. In numerous phone conversations, where the existence of an interlocutor is highly doubtful, the young woman speaks candidly and honestly, sharing her existential ponderings about death, the fleeting passage of people on Earth, and the relative insignificance of our lives in the relentless flow of time. Bordering on nihilism and driven by these constant existential queries, she appears to seek answers, yet it becomes evident that she already holds the answers to her questions, acknowledging the inevitability of it all.
As the film progresses, the tranquility of the location is unnaturally disrupted by peculiar noises, strange shadows, and images dancing on the walls, leading to the appearance of other characters. One of the film’s most impressive scenes features a long, unbroken shot in which actress Évelyne de la Chenelière delivers a monologue that extends the existential questioning of the main character, in a kind of annex chapel to the hospital. This scene is hypnotic. Denis Côté creates such a mysterious and sensory-rich universe that it puts the audience in a state of wanting to decode every new piece of information that comes their way. This allows us to savor these astonishing situations crafted by the filmmaker, like this monologue that feels like a cinematic cult scene, one can imagine Quebec cinephiles quoting lines from it as they do with the most iconic film quotes.
The film builds on its mystery by regularly introducing new information, new appearances, without providing a general explanation for what is happening. Throughout, each new element added to the plot is presented through the eyes of the main character. Clad in a white blouse, hair neatly combed back to reveal her forehead, and with the camera skillfully capturing the brilliance of her big blue eyes, the audience becomes attached to the endearing innocence of this character and seeks to understand her, to grasp her world.
The film’s conclusion becomes exhilarating for the patient cinephile who has savored the film’s gradual crescendo, aided by a beautiful artistic collaboration between Denis Côté and the French musician duo Potochkine, creating exquisite cinematic moments.
When the film ends, and the credits elegantly roll over the young woman’s frozen face, one wonders if they have succeeded in deciphering her world. Each viewer will be free to see and understand what they wish. Are these events and people real? Denis Côté leaves the door open to interpretation. Personally, I see them as mental projections. The abandoned hospital appears to be an imaginary place, a mental projection in which the main character escapes as much as she is imprisoned. She could be currently bedridden, in a coma, or even dreaming from a prison cell. Her environment, her universe, is closed and limited; she can only project herself through thought. The film then becomes a journey into the imagination of this character, who projects her existential concerns and questions into a fictitious place.
In any case, it’s certain that everyone will find something that resonates deeply with them—a word, a gesture, a reflection, an attitude, an emotion. In essence, Denis Côté has crafted an experimental and profoundly intriguing cinematic work, anchored by the incredible performance of its lead actress, who oscillates between naiveté, obsessiveness, and mystery. It leaves an indelible mark with its atmosphere, ambiance, powerful dialogues, standout scenes, and the music by Potochkine. Above all, it grants the freedom to revisit this place and this woman, to contemplate what they represent, and what this woman may have become since the film’s conclusion. Or perhaps, we will realize that we are ourselves in a similar situation as this woman.
After the film and a little research, it becomes clear that “Kenopsia” is a neologism coined by American poet John Koenig (The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows) to describe feelings for which we have no words. Kenopsia captures the sensation one experiences when entering a place that was once bustling with life but is now deserted. Your brain tells you it should be bustling with people, but there is no one, leaving you with a tinge of melancholy or mild anxiety.
Obviously, the film is not perfect. Admittedly, the idea behind the film may feel stretched at times, resulting in a slightly extended runtime for a concept that has been explored in many other movies. The dialogues and metaphysical musings, while basic and not particularly profound, do have moments that teeter on banality. However, what lingers is the well-crafted feeling and atmosphere of the film, which leaves a lasting impression.
Overall, Mademoiselle Kenopsia is a hypnotic and enigmatic cinematic journey anchored by a brilliant lead performance, inviting viewers to decode a surreal world where existential questions thrive, leaving each one with a unique and lingering experience.
Mademoiselle Kenopsia made its North American debut at the 48th Toronto International Film Festival, following its premiere at this summer’s Locarno Film Festival. Excitingly, it’s already been announced that the movie will be featured in a special screening at the Montreal International Documentary Festival (RIDM) on November 21st, 2023. This screening will be followed by a live concert by the talented Potochkine group, the masterminds behind the film’s captivating music. Denis Côté, whom we extend our best wishes for a swift recovery from a health issue that prevented his physical presence in Toronto, will be hosting a masterclass. The film is being distributed by h264.
