About the Film
In Stéphane Demoustier's The Girl with a Bracelet, a simple story turns into a cinematic work that travels beyond the narrative of the main event itself, as it addresses issues that may seem initially trivial, yet become essential and highly integrated with the original plot.
Eighteen-year-old Lise is on trial for the murder of her best friend Flora, who only appears on the big screen through photographs. The dramatic course of events relating to the criminal act, as well as the trial, goes in line with that of the film. This is in addition to a third track that reveals some of the family home dynamics, with special focus on Lise’s parents, Bruno and Céline.
Despite the harshness of overwhelmingly dramatic, painful, hurtful and cruel moments, the cinematic approach remains calm. The smooth visual narrative carries with it a revelation of the predicament of relationships, individuals and details. The trial reveals some mysteries, and tells of the intimate friendship between Lise and Flora, both at school and in everyday life. Lise's knowledge of Flora's death forces her to face herself, her parents, and her environment, as well as the court, the judiciary system, laws, and society.
Facial features play a crucial role in presenting Lise’s character, who experiences the natural shift from the end of her teens to the beginning of her young adulthood. "I want to put the viewer in front of the mystery that this teenager, Lise, represents," says Stéphane Demoustier. This alone is sufficient to understand the general climate, which establishes paths, reveals souls, uncovers a hidden cache, and exposes—albeit indirectly—an emotion, a sensation, or a yearning, even if unintended. Lise exists in the limbo between the breakdown over her friend's death, the indifference towards her trial, and the hidden desire to escape the entire predicament. The trial—presented as a natural occurrence, given the situation—delves through pores of broken, confused, and strained relationships within Lise’s family, particularly between her and her parents.
Nadim Jarjoura
