Dans ma peau (2002)

User Rating:

6.6/10   

Director:

Marina de Van

Writer:

Marina de Van (writer)

Release Date:

4 December 2002 (France)

Genre:

Drama | Horror

Plot:

A woman grows increasingly fascinated with her body after suffering a disfiguring accident. |

Plot Keywords:

Mutilation | Self Mutilation | Self Cannibalism | Madness | Obsession

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Marina de Van	...	Esther
Laurent Lucas	...	Vincent
Léa Drucker	...	Sandrine
Thibault de Montalembert	...	Daniel
Dominique Reymond	...	La cliente
Bernard Alane	...	Le client
Marc Rioufol	...	Henri
François Lamotte	...	Pierre
Adrien de Van	...	L'interne
Alain Rimoux	...	Le pharmacien
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Chantal Baroin	...	Invitée
Caroline Brunner	...	Serveuse
Wilfried Malori	...	Nageur
Giovanni Portincasa
Damien Roussineau	...	Nageur
Thomas de Van	...	Le serveur
Thierry Vermuth	...	Invité

Also Known As:

Coupures (France) (working title)
In My Skin (International: English title)

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

France

Language:

French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

New Zealand:R18 | Germany:16 | Australia:R | France:-16 | Hong Kong:III | Singapore:R21 | Switzerland:18 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:18 (canton of Vaud) | USA:Unrated | UK:18

Filming Locations:

Paris, France

Company:

Lazennec & Associés

cinema therapy movie

Disturbing as "In My Skin" is, the movie frequently pops into my mind. Looking at the film on the surface, I was disturbed by the imagery, as apparently were the other people in the theatre who all left before the movie was over.

This is a movie that, much like "Groundhog Day," might be best used for cinema therapy. On the surface, we see a woman who develops an unusual predilection for self-mutilation. Looking deeper though, I saw a woman who became consumed by her addictions. We would not have been as affected if she had "merely" been an alcoholic, a drug abuser, an anorexic or bulimic.

The woman's self-mutilation becomes a metaphor for any number of other self-destructive behaviors. Her self-mutilation is never seen by her friends or family. Similar to someone with anorexia wearing baggy clothes or a drug addict hiding their pain to the point where people would say, "Wow--I would have never suspected her/him to have that problem."

"In My Skin," lays out a plausible timeline for an addiction. Surely, the woman's friends and family in the film would spend hours later determining what they actually saw or thought they knew or wish they knew about the woman and her addictive behaviors.

"In My Skin" is very very powerful and uses a very disturbing metaphor that if people allowed themselves the chance to see and take the time to discuss, could be very influential long term.