CHACUN SA NUIT

France, 2006, 95 minutes, Colour.
Lizzie Brochere, Arthur Dupont, Guillaume Bache, Pierre Perrier, Nicolas Nollet, Valerie Mairesse, Karl E. Landler, Matthieu Boujenah, Jean- Christophe Bouvet.
Directed by Pascal Arnold and Jean- Marc Barr.

One to Another is a very sensual film. It is based on actual events, focusing on a group of five young people in a French town. They are one girl and four men. (One of the difficulties of this kind of film is that the men generally are of the same age and look much the same so that it is hard to distinguish who is who as the film goes on – something the same for all the young people who appear in American soap operas!)

The film focuses on Pierre who suddenly disappears. His sister Lucie, to whom he is close, tries to find out what happened to him. He has been murdered. There are all kinds of complications in the relationship between the young people and also between some of the people in the village.

The film was directed by Pascal Arnold and Jean- Marc Barr who collaborated on Being Light and Too Much Flesh. Arnold was the writer of this film. It is particularly French – in its characters, situations, complex presentation of time frames, sensuality.

1.The portrait of a group of young people, as a group, individuals? Based on a true crime story?

2.The town, the beauty of the countryside, the woods, the lake? The musical score?

3.The title – and its application to each of the five young people? To the adults?

4.The structure of the film: introduction, Lucie and the focus on her, her visit to the psychiatrist, her writing down the story, the memories, the investigation, the interlocking of memories and the investigation? The psychological trauma and her healing?

5.The age of the young people, the four boys and the girl, their relationship with Lucie? Friendship, the glimpses of the idyllic friendship during the summer, together, their past as children, as students, the jokes? The introduction to the erotic aspects of their relationships?

6.The focus on sexuality, of each of the five? The visuals, the action, the bisexuality, homosexuality, male-female relationships? Each of the five? Pierre and Lucie and their relationship? The sexual dimensions of the relationship with the police, Pierre with the older man and the orgy?

7.Lucy, her explanations, her being with Pierre, the focus on bodies, sharing? With the others? Affairs? The relationship with Paul, wanting him to reveal the truth? With young policeman? Her interview with the young man who had attacked Pierre?

8.The band, the joy in performance, the aftermath, their parents being present, the motorbike, Nicolas being sick? The news of Pierre’s death?

9.Lucie and her mother, Lucie’s obsessiveness, her ridiculing of the police, rudeness? The discussions with the psychiatrist? Her visit and discussion with the older man? With the parents of the others? With the threatening young man? Using her wiles?

10.Her mother, the funeral, having to let go?

11.Pierre as a character, relaxed, at home, with Lucie, getting the money, talk, buying the bike, seductive attitude with Nicolas, with Baptiste, with the older man, at the orgy, trying to persuade Nicolas?

12.Each of the other young men in themselves? Their personalities? Relationship with Lucie, Sebastian and his relationship, her pregnancy? Nicolas and the reserve, Baptiste and his keeping back? Paul and his prying?

13.The leads, the role of the police, the young man and the investigation, finding the bike, finding the jacket, the story about the gypsies?

14.Paul, prying, his psychic powers, his unwillingness to reveal the truth? At the end?

15.The suddenness of the confession, the reaction that the three had killed Pierre? Prison? The memories at the cremation? The memories of the band? Baptiste and his writing the letter – and Lucie tearing it up?

16.The re-enactment of the crime?

17.Lucie, at the end, pregnant, relying on Paul? Out of the institution?

18.No explanation given for the motivation? Audience speculation? Love-hate? Being manipulated? Defensive? Aggressive? The sentences given to the young men?