SHE IS CONANN
Schedule
Overview
Travelling through the abyss, underworld dog Rainer recounts the six lives of Conann, perpetually put to death by her own future, across eras, myths and ages, from her childhood as a slave of Sanja and her barbarian horde to her accession to the summits of cruelty at the doors of our world.
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Review
SHE IS CONANN, directed by Bertrand Mandico, known for his unconventional and subversive films like The Wild Boys (2017) and After Blue (Dirty Paradise) (2021), follows his tradition of prominently featuring female characters in harsh environments. While it is unsurprising that Conann is a woman in this context, the film goes beyond being a mere heroic saga about a female warrior. When pulp fiction writer Robert E. Howard first introduced Conan the Barbarian in his 1932 short story People of the Dark, Conan was the protagonist’s previous incarnation. Conann bears a resemblance to the character depicted by Arnold Schwarzenegger in the film Conan the Barbarian (1982) in terms of imagery. However, she aligns with the original concept of Conan by killing herself every ten years to be reborn anew. This film, presenting six Conanns, each differing in age and race, explores the themes of destiny and growth, posing profound questions about the essence of barbarism. After shifting its setting from the medieval era to the Bronx, New York, the film sharply criticizes modern barbarism. Numerous scenes may be challenging for some audiences, and the “buffet” scene toward the end could be quite unsettling for many, so extra caution is required. (MOON Seok)
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Credit
- DirectorBertrand MANDICO
- ProducerGilles CHANIAL, Emmanuel CHAUMET, Avi AMAR
- ScreenplayBertrand MANDICO
- CinematographyNicolas EVEILLEAU
- Production DesignAnna LE MOUEL
- MusicPierre DESPRATS
- EditorLaure SAINT-MARC
- SoundCéline BODSON, Geoffrey PERRIER, Simon APOSTOLOU
- CastElina LÖWENSOHN, Christa THERET, Julia RIEDLER, Claire DUBURCQ
Film Source
KINOLOGY⎜festivals@kinology.eu
Director
Bertrand MANDICO
Born in Toulouse in 1971. He graduated from the film directing program at the Gobelins School in Paris. He is known for The Wild Boys (2017), After Blue (Dirty Paradise) (2021). He won the prestigious Prix Louis Delluc for the first feature film. The second feature film received the FIPRESCI Prize at its premiere in Locarno International Film Festival in 2021.
