Lazennec & Associés, 2002
starring: Marina de Van, Laurent Lucas, Lea Drucker and Thibault de Montalembert

written and directed by: Marina de Van

the plot: While at a party one evening, Esther (de Van) walks outside and stumbles to the ground. She shakes off the accident and returns inside, only to discover later that she fell on a piece of metal and has a jagged, bleeding wound on her leg. Over the next few days, the injury becomes an unending source of fascination for Esther. She pokes and prods at the wound and constantly removes the bandages so she can get a look. At work one afternoon, she steals away to a storeroom, where she begins jabbing at the wound with a piece of metal. Esther’s behavior so disturbs her boyfriend Vincent (Lucas) and her close friend Sandrine (Drucker) that they implore her to seek help. However, Esther is caught up in a spiral of self-mutilation—she starts cutting her arm while at dinner with her boss (de Montalembert) and some important clients, then that night checks into a hotel room so she can continue her obsession. As Esther’s condition worsens, she finds herself alienated from everyone she knows and loves.

why it’s good: On a purely visceral level, “In My Skin” is incredibly disturbing, if only for the graphic scenes of self-mutilation. Once you get past that, well, it’s still a disturbing film, thanks to de Van’s intense performance and expert direction. As Esther, de Van creates a complex character—does Esther hate her body or does she love it? Is she feeling disconnected from herself, or is she in tune with her body but a stranger to those around her? At different moments throughout “In My Skin,” Esther embodies all those feelings and more. She expresses ecstasy at one moment as she slices off a piece of skin, only to feel shock and horror later as she realizes what she’s done. De Van’s screenplay offers no answers—the viewer is forced to accept Esther’s condition, as much as it repulses him or her. Though not technically a horror film, “In My Skin” is certainly horrific enough to make you cover your eyes and peak out between your fingers.

why you should own it: “In My Skin” is worth renting, if you’ve got a strong stomach. Wellspring’s DVD features commentary by de Van as well as two previous short films.