CAN LOVE VANISH WITHOUT A TRACE?
When Marie Drillon’s (Charlotte Rampling) husband Jean (Bruno Cremer) disappears while swimming, she is unable to accept his probable demise and goes on with her life as if he’s an active part of it. One of director François Ozon’s most celebrated films deals with loneliness, mental health and grief, but never wallows in the sadness. Rampling gives one of her finest performances as the woman who is dangerously close to losing her mind. It’s a complex character, fascinating and really emotional to follow. The director also deliberately subjects his audience to the pain of not knowing what really happened on that beach, which is certainly effective.
2001-France. 95 min. Color. Produced by Olivier Delbosc, Marc Missonier. Written and directed by François Ozon. Cast: Charlotte Rampling (Marie Drillon), Bruno Cremer (Jean Drillon), Jacques Nolot (Vincent), Alexandra Stewart, Pierre Vernier, Andrée Tainsy.
Trivia:Â Original title:Â Sous le sable.
Last word: “I never thought of it as grief. I just went through a very rocky time, and I’ve been through rocky times all my life. I just had to fasten my seatbelt, carry on, and do my stuff, even if it meant I wasn’t working so much. In fact, it was only after I’d done ‘Under the Sand’ that I realized this is a film about grieving, it’s a film about somebody dying, disappearing, leaving.” (Rampling, Cineaste Magazine)
