“A mental trauma is an event too harsh, horrible, monstrous and bestial for the spirit and heart that our individual and collective mental structures have trouble absorbing such as the bombing of a city (…) an incest or rape (…) This event, buried deep within, is transmitted from the parents’ unconsciousness to their children’s. As long as it does not hit the surface, as long as it is not voiced, it is bound to return.”
Anne Ancelin Schützenberger.
Inside is based on data produced over the past 40 years coming from researchers and practitioners in the field of trans-generational phenomena. This data stems from the observed repetition of certain phenomena over several generations independently from all genetic factors.
Inside follows a spiral-like structure progressing from the exterior towards the centre. The main characters, Léo, Barbara and Ferdinand are first presented through their outer traits. The film then describes their inner realm composed of the fears and feelings of guilt we all keep secret. It finally reaches the core, the initial traumatic incident that dates back 90 years.
The body is the essential vessel through which transmission and repetition occur. The spectators are brought to feel Barbara and Ferdinand’s inner struggle as they are presented their childhood traumas, an overabundance of feelings that eventually lead their inner systems to breakdown. Violent oppositions in terms of frame size, the rapid alternating of inner sounds and silences and large shots of wounded body parts are all elements that will be used to induce the crisis as it unfolds.
The vast array of places and actions and the constant rummaging through the characters’ stories will lead to a complex visual setup in which the camera comes and goes in time freely. The camera will move within a timeframe dictated by the story’s internal inflexions.
There are several reasons for having chosen Canada as our shooting location. The Rufos and Stolérus are both families with a heavy immigrant background. This diversity of origins, languages and cultural heritages is a theme that I wanted to explore. Canada as a country offers a contrast, both visual and symbolic, in the existing divide between traditional native communities and modern everyday life. Finally, nature, ice, icebergs and Canadian landscapes in general are all essential components, both from a narrative and symbolic perspective.