MUBI is hosting the exclusive global online premiere of Damien Manivel's Le parc (2016). It is showing from February 10 - March 12, 2017 as a Special Discovery.
Parks are full of ordinary stories. I like spending time here watching these scenarios unfold. As I sit and watch, over time, I notice a strangeness emerging from the ordinary. As if something dark and mysterious was hiding behind the sunlit lawns and outdoor games. It is these strange impressions that inspired the screenplay. In particular, one typical summer tale: a teenage girl and boy sitting on a bench and feeling uneasy on their first date. I chose to adopt the young girl’s point of view and to relate their love story, over one afternoon and night, from their first look until their separation. From this moment on, I needed to go further and show her state of shock and astonishment. The infinite night that engulfs the park, the young girl wandering in the dark and experiencing heartache… This is no ordinary story anymore.