Skin of Man, Heart of Beast

Hélène Angel’s film focuses on the violent and troubled world of the Pujol family through the eyes of its youngest member, 5 year old Aurélie.

The rural idyll of the family home in the south of France, where Aurélie lives with her grandmother, elder sister and young uncle, is dramatically disrupted by the arrival of her errant father Francky, who has recently been suspended from the police force on brutality charges.  The household malaise soon doubles when Francky’s vulgar middle brother Coco suddenly returns after an inexplicable 15 year absence.  Their extreme nature proves to be contagious as the whole family careers towards violent ends.

Angel’s film draws immediate comparisons to Bruno Dumont (La vie de Jésus, 29 Palms) in its portrayal of the bestial side of human beings. Its bold and unapologetic approach was rewarded at the Locarno International Film Festival with the Golden Leopard.