Dans ma peau/ In My Skin (Marina de Van, 2002)

In My Skin (Marina de Van, 2002) is the least graphic of the many French New Extremist films, but possibly the most disturbing. The idea of focus in this film is a disassociation between mind and body. Esther (played by the films writer/director, Marina de Van) becomes incredibly interested in her own body and skin after an accident in which she does not realize how injured she was. This starts an increasingly sick venture into a dark world of self-mutilation.

The film is not nearly as dark, aesthetically, as the protagonist's journey. It is fairly high-key in lighting. It also has plenty of wide shots, which contrast with the painfully tight shots of Esther's peeling skin. The music, too, is rather incongruent. This contrast between style and content perfectly mirrors the contrast between Esther's mind and body. By the end, the cinematography becomes completely abstract and literally split into two images.

Esther's departure from reality is brought out in the use of surrealism. The most notable instance of this comes in the scene at the restaurant. Totally oblivious to the conversation happening around her, Esther begins stabbing at her arm with her steak knife. Eventually, her forearm ends up sitting on the table and she is stuck trying to act normal with her arm detached from her body.

The introduction of the idea of a subjective reality further highlights this notion of separation. This separates our protagonist from the film world. The sudden denial of the accepted rules of the film world also separates us from it, and her. This reminds us that we are experiencing a highly personal experience that really only can be understood by Esther herself.