Mademoiselle Kenopsia is a 2023 Canadian film written and directed by Denis Côté. Starring Larissa Corriveau, the film centres on a solitary woman who watches over empty spaces. It premiered at the 76th Locarno Film Festival and later screened at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival. It won the main prize at the 2023 Ostrava Kamera Oko International Film Festival.
Synopsis The film stars Larissa Corriveau as the "Guardian of Spaces", a woman who moves through empty interior spaces and watches over them.Leo Barraclough, "Toronto’s ‘Mademoiselle Kenopsia’ Debuts Trailer Teasing Film’s ‘Sense of Calm… While Still Provoking a Slight Anxiety’". Variety, August 11, 2023. Her isolation is interrupted by visitors and uncertain telephone conversations.
Cast The cast includes:
Larissa Corriveau Evelyne de la Chenelière Olivier Aubin Hinde Rabbaj
Production The film was produced by Voyelles Films, with financial participation from SODEC and support from Post-Moderne. It was written and directed by Denis Côté. Filming took place over eight days in August 2022 in Saint-Hyacinthe, Pierrefonds and Montreal. The film had an approximate budget of less than C$20,000.
According to Côté, the film was inspired in part by experiences of seclusion, confinement and isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic, which led him to think about how spaces become functional or take on new meanings.
Release The film had its world premiere out of competition in the Fuori concorso section of the Locarno Film Festival in August 2023.Kelly Townsend, "Mademoiselle Kenopsia to world premiere at Locarno". Playback, July 6, 2023. It had its North American premiere in the Wavelengths programme at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival.Anthony D'Alessandro, "TIFF 2023 Wavelengths & Classics Section Includes Jean-Luc Godard’s Final Film, Uncut Restoration Of ‘Farewell My Concubine’". Deadline Hollywood, August 11, 2023.
Reception
Critical response Martin Kudlac of Screen Anarchy described the film as "an introspective examination of solitude" and wrote that its themes of isolation and confinement marked it as "a distinctly COVID-era cinematic endeavor". He also described the film as minimalist and wrote that it "resists easy categorization".
Mehdi Balamissa of Film Fest Report described the film as a "hypnotic and enigmatic cinematic journey" and praised Larissa Corriveau’s lead performance, while writing that the film’s concept "may feel stretched at times".
Awards At the 15th Ostrava Kamera Oko International Film Festival in 2023, Mademoiselle Kenopsia won the main prize. At the 2024 Prix RÉALS, the film won the Œuvre Art et essai award.
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