Having had it’s UK premiere at this year’s FrightFest, Aurélia Mengin’s Scarlet Blue is a surrealist portrayal of mental health, the devastating effects of lost memories and sexuality that revolves around forty year old Alter (Amélie Daure/Anne Sophie Charron), who is desperately seeking out the truth behind her childhood and the secrets her mother still harbours.
After a suicide attempt, schizophrenic and depressed Alter seeks out the help of Léandro Lecreulx (Stefano Cassetti), a mystical hypnotherapist who carries out his sessions in a subterranean cave where he aids Alter in exploring her inner most feelings and suppressed memories that have been hidden away and forgotten about since her childhood. In doing so, Alter discovers that her mother has been concealing a life-shattering secret which is the key to Alter being able to come to terms with who she really is. Whilst navigating this liminal stage of her treatment, Alter meets Chris, (director Aurélia Mengin) a local supermarket worker who ends up introducing some much needed levity into Alter’s universe.
Set in a colourfully retro surrealist world, Scarlet Blue is, authentic to its title, illuminated by hues of reds and blues representing the duality that surrounds protagonist Alter’s life. With a strong representation of cinematic colour theory throughout, the film portrays the constant ebb and flow between the serenity Alter finds in her day to day life, and the danger, anxiety and passion she encounters as well with discovering new love and her sexual impulsiveness. This constant psychological shift is also mirrored in the water motifs littered throughout the film’s runtime whether that be in the sounds coming from her waterfront dwelling or in her hypnotherapy induced flashbacks. Grounding Alter is her enigmatic therapist, his cave providing a safe and strong space for exploring her memories, the earthiness of this safe space is also reflected in Alter’s living space, decorated with yellow and brown wallpaper, representing the relaxation and comfort she seeks out in her own private quarters.
Scarlet Blue is a visually stunning exploration of schizophrenia, showcasing not only the anguish involved in having such a condition, but also the beauty of the schizophrenic individual and their daily encounters. Despite its almost neon coloured visuals, none of the performances feel cartoonish or slip outside the realms of reality, keeping its treatment of mental illness respectful. Scarlet Blue is a technicolour Lynch-inspired queer love letter devoted to those who feel consumed by familial trauma, their mental health and how much life can overwhelm us.
4.5 Screams out of 5
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