Rating: NR
Genre:
Drama
Theatrical Release: 11/07/2003(USA
Release Date: 04/20/2004
SubTitles: English
Dubbed: French
Sound: DD5.1/DD2
Run Time: 93 Minutes
Flags: Violence, Adult Situations, Not For Children, Profanity
Distributor/Studio: Fox Lorber
Marina de Van, a frequent collaborator of director
François Ozon's (she co-wrote several films with him, in addition to starring in
See the Sea and
Sitcom), makes her feature directorial debut with
In My Skin, which she also wrote.
De Van stars in the film as
Esther, a self-conscious young woman who works for a public relations firm. Her life seems to be going well. Her boyfriend,
Vincent (
Laurent Lucas of
With a Friend Like Harry...), wants to live with her. At work, she's in line for a promotion and the opportunity to run a prestigious campaign for a jewelry company. One night at a party with her friend,
Sandrine (
Léa Drucker),
Esther wanders into the backyard and stumbles, scratching her leg on a piece of scrap metal. She goes back to the party, and later realizes that her injury is much more severe than she had thought. There's a huge, ugly gouge all the way up her shin, and she's bleeding profusely. She goes to a doctor, who patches her up and tells her she might need a skin graft. But
Esther becomes obsessed with the wound. She won't let it heal, sneaking away during work to cut herself. As her leg becomes an ugly scarred mass, she begins to notice a problem with her arm. Before long, she's alienated
Vincent and jeopardized her job with her compulsive, self-destructive behavior. But she continues on her grotesque downward spiral.
In My Skin was shown at
Lincoln Center in New York as part of their 2003 Rendez-vous with French Cinema.
~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide