new wave films
Fidelio, Alice's Journey
A film by Lucie Borleteau
Synopsis
Alice is a 30 year-old sailor, in love with Félix who waits for her ashore as she unexpectedly sets off as second mechanic on the Fidelio, an old freighter. On board, she discovers not only that she replaces a recently deceased mechanic, but also that the Captain is none other than her first great love, Gaël. In her cabin Alice comes across the diary of the former mechanic, and by reading its content –accounts of technical problems, sexual conquests and lovelorn emotions – she finds, oddly, that they echo her own journey. As the ship calls at various ports, Alice deals with life aboard with an all-male crew, the notion of desire in such an environment and the swings of her romantic feelings, while trying to stay the course.
Where It's On
Available online at Amazon Instant and BFI Player
Trailer
Director — Lucie Borleteau
Born in 1980, Lucie Borleteau studied film at the University Paris 8 - Saint Denis. She then worked as an assistant director for Lou Ye and Arnaud Desplechin, and contributed to the script of White Material by Claire Denis (2009). She then directed three medium-length films, Nievaliachka, la poupée qui ne tombe pas (2003), Les Voeux (2008) and La Grève des ventres (2012).
Fidelio: Alice’s Journey is her first feature film.
Filmography
Medium-length films
Nievaliachka, la poupée qui ne tombe pas (2003)
Les Voeux (2008)
La Grève des ventres (2012)
Feature film
Fidelio: Alice’s Journey (Fidelio : l’odyssée d’Alice) (2014)
Cast & Credits
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CAST |
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Alice |
Ariane Labed |
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Gaël |
Melvil Poupaud |
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Felix |
Anders Danielsen Lie |
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Antoine |
Pascal Tagnati |
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Constantin |
Corneliu Dragomirescu |
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Barbereau |
Jean-Louis Coulloc’h |
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Vali |
Bogdan Zamfir |
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Frédéric |
Nathanaël Maïni |
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Felizardo |
Manuel Ramirez |
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Stéphane |
Thomas Scimeca |
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CREW |
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Directed by |
Lucie Borleteau |
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Screenplay |
Lucie Borleteau, Clara Bourreau |
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Cinematography |
Simon Beaufils |
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Music |
Thomas de Pourquery |
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Costumes |
Sophie Begon |
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Set Design |
Sidney Dubois |
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Sound |
Marie-Clotilde Chéry, Edouard Morin, Mélissa Petitjean |
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Editing |
Guy Lecorne |
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Produced by |
Apsara Films & Why Not Productions |
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Co-producer |
ARTE France Cinéma |
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France 2014 / 95 minutes / Scope / French with English subtitles / cert. tbc |
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Images
Click any still to enlarge
The Critics
'A powerful first feature from a French filmmaker to watch'
Trevor Johnston, Time Out
'Labed is superb'
Kate Muir, The Times
Narratively, Borleteau's film is pleasingly ambiguous without being dîfficult or abstruse. Rather than a linear narrative, it presents a wealth of intriguing incidents and atmospheres, loosely linked together by Alice's experiences. Both the physical environment of the boat and the interaction of the men on board are portrayed in a manner at once straightforward and poetic, calling to mind another female director's film about work, jealousy and male company: Claire Denis's Beau Travail.
Hannah McGill, Sight & Sound'Fidelio: Alice’s Journeyis a daring exploration of monogamy and long-distance relationships. A sailor with a man in every port, Alice takes an odyssey that is thrilling, erotic, thoughtful, and exquisitely photographed.'
Mallory Andrews, Film Comment
'Alice is an engrossing combination of ghost story, workplace drama, and young woman’s amorous journey, with a pleasingly self-contained performance at its heart, for which Labed deservedly won the Best Actress prize.'
Chris Darke, Film Comment
‘A true discovery’
Aurélien Ferenczi, Télérama
‘Easily the most fascinating film to come along and challenge traditional gender roles in the past year…emotionally complex, logistically daunting debut.’
Peter Debruge, Variety
Links
Interview with Lucie Borleteau in Film Comment
On stage interview with Lucie Borleteau
Download photo set
Europa Cinema winner Locarno 2104 commendation: “Fidelio is a superb film that subverts the traditional love triangle story, and delivers strong narrative cinema with solid writing and excellent performances… It’s an accessible and uplifting film that has the potential of reaching a wide audience.”
Bookings & Press
For film bookings please contact Colin Burch at Verve Pictures — [email protected]. Press resources are on the Press page.