Claire Simon’s Our Body (Notre Corps) is an unflinching exploration of some of the most intimate and vulnerable moments of a woman’s life. Throughout the film, we meet women of all ages – a teenage girl navigating an unplanned pregnancy, a transwoman braving the challenges of transitioning, an elderly woman completing her second chemotherapy treatment – each with their own uniquely personal experience. Their stories are captured through interactions with their healthcare team, in a Frederick Wiseman-esque style of observation.
Simon visits the gynecology ward of a hospital on the outskirts of Paris, documenting the trepidation, pain, joy, and gamut of emotions felt through each patient’s experience. The film succeeds in piquing our morbid curiosity as we step behind closed doors to witness these incredibly vulnerable moments. Simon handles each story with patience and care. From birth sequences to heartbreaking revelations about infertility, Simon is able to delicately capture graphic surgeries and invasive conversations, allowing the viewer to immerse themselves in these refreshingly raw and breathtaking moments with ease.
Simon expertly lifts the medical veil to reflect upon the communal experience of occupying a female body and the oftentimes lack of agency over it. Our Body steps away from the sexualization of the female body often seen in film, instead exploring everything from birth to death through an anatomical perspective. Bodies of all shapes, sizes, and ages are celebrated in their natural states – from a stomach being cut open during a C-section to graphic surgery to remove cancerous tissue in the cervix. Our Body is filmmaking at its finest with its empathetic and assured handling of its subjects, and its realistic portrayal of the female body.
The documentary paints a poignant portrait of womanhood, capturing real stories that are rarely discussed or observed so intimately. As the film progresses, Simon begins to chronicle her own journey – her cancer diagnosis, blurring the lines between observer and subject to greatly deepen the film’s impact. The director peppers in moments of reflection throughout the film, with shots of bustling corridors and quiet, sun-drenched rooms. The patients’ tumultuous journeys are also beautifully captured by Elias Boughedir’s evocative original score.
Despite the film’s lengthy 168-minute runtime, it’s an engrossing, albeit difficult, watch, begging viewers to engage in their own introspective journey. Simon forgoes any narrative progression, opting to document an extensive group of patients and their experiences during a single conversation or treatment. For instance, a woman’s chemotherapy treatment is captured, but we never return to her story to discover the outcome, leaving the viewer with no real sense of closure. Yet, it works, underscoring the filmmaker’s exploration of these varied, yet shared experiences – as the film’s title suggests.
Our Body also succeeds in its portrayal of women’s pain. It shouldn’t be such a monumental concept, yet we live in a world where women often suffer in silence. Whether that is because the issues they’re facing are under-researched or their doctors are reluctant to take their symptoms seriously. In lieu of brushing off women’s pain – something that has plagued societal norms for too long – Our Body listens to these very real issues and gives them the attention they deserve. While there’s much work to be done, it opens the doorway for larger conversations and changes.
Whether discussing treatment options for a harrowing diagnosis or bringing new life into the world, Our Body provides an emotional portrait of the complexities of the female body. It’s a profound look at both the possibilities and limitations of the body, and ultimately, our oftentimes powerlessness as human beings. It’s a remarkable piece of cinema that delivers a beautiful message about vulnerability and shared experiences.
Our Body is currently playing at the Film Forum in New York courtesy of Cinema Guild. The film will expand nationally in the coming weeks.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LiAYazlrBTQ]
Whether discussing treatment options for a harrowing diagnosis or bringing new life into the world, Our Body provides an emotional portrait of the complexities of the female body. It’s a profound look at both the possibilities and limitations of the body, and ultimately, our oftentimes powerlessness as human beings. It’s a remarkable piece of cinema that delivers a beautiful message about vulnerability and shared experiences.
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