Sep. 17, 2021|France|121 Min.|R
Genre: Action;Action;&;Adventure;Adventure;Crime;Drama;Mystery;Thriller
Description: The Mad Women’s Ball, released in 2021, is a gripping film that draws inspiration from André Brouillet’s famous 1887 painting, *A Clinical Lesson at the Salpêtrière*. The painting depicts a scene where neurologist Jean-Martin Charcot demonstrates his controversial methods for treating mental illness at the Pitié-Salpêtrière asylum in Paris. In the painting, a partially disrobed woman is held by a man as a room full of spectators watches.
Mélanie Laurent’s *The Mad Women’s Ball* adapts Victoria Mas’s novel into a powerful story of two women trapped within the confines of the Salpêtrière asylum during Charcot’s era. The film intertwines elements of psychodrama and melodrama, delivering a narrative brimming with urgency and emotion. Each scene is meticulously crafted, showcasing a tightly controlled script.
The story follows Eugénie, a rebellious young woman from a wealthy family, who is forcibly committed to the asylum by her father. Her alleged ability to communicate with the dead leads to her confinement in the grim, dungeon-like institution. Amidst the cries and chaos of the other patients, Eugénie crosses paths with Geneviève, the stern and seemingly unfeeling head nurse. Played by Laurent herself, Geneviève’s icy exterior hides unexpected depths and complexities.
Through its vivid storytelling, *The Mad Women’s Ball* explores themes of oppression, resistance, and the haunting realities of mental health treatment in the 19th century.
Cast director: Mélanie Laurent
Cast actor: Lou de Laâge, Mélanie Laurent, Emmanuelle Bercot, Benjamin Voisin, Lauréna Thellier, Grégoire Bonnet, Martine Chevallier, Vincent Nemeth, Cédric Kahn, Lomane de Dietrich
Original name: Le bal des folles