In My Skin
Release Date:
November 7, 2003
Limited release
Since I’ve been writing these movie write-ups for Box Office Prophets, I’ve come across a couple films that deal with the subject of cannibalism. However, this one takes that a step further – autophagy. Yes, I had to look this one up. It means “self-cannibalism”. Ewwwww.
Writer/director/star Marina de Van portrays Esther, a businesswoman that has everything going the right way for her. She just got a promotion at work, she has quite a few good friends, and she’s looking for a house to buy together with her boyfriend (Laurent Lucas). However, these plans get thrown off-track after a party she attends.
During the party, she accidentally cuts her leg in the dark. She doesn’t feel a thing and starts freaking out when she sees the trail of blood she’s leaving behind. At the doctor’s office the next day, everything checks out OK (at least physically). But this wound becomes an obsession for her. She starts by “cutting” and creating accidents to explain away her injuries. It progresses until she starts “savoring” her own flesh. We’ll stop right there with the synopsis.
The problem with the film (other than the autophagy) is that we aren’t given a reason that Esther starts this behavior. Was she abused as a child? Is there a family history of mental illness? No one really knows, at least as far as the audience is concerned.
The movie had its world premiere at the San Sebastian Film Festival in September 2002. It has been making its way around the film festival circuit for the past year and is scheduled to get a regular theatrical release. I don’t think we’ll see too much word-of-mouth buzz about this film. It definitely is for a very limited audience. (Marty Doskins/BOP)
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