Between myth and reality, majesty and anxiety, The Fall depicts as much the suffering and the feminine power as “the presence of nature as a living force”, in the words of Lola Margrain. For this joint adventure, the two directors explored the Icelandic territory, lulled by their fantasy and the beauty of the spectacular real landscapes. And to create this dramatic space that we see in the clip, both played with the contrasts and ambivalence offered by Iceland: “The region is clearly more alive and moving than perhaps any other place on Earth – that I have been able to visit at leastsays the videographer. Colors and light change rapidly, radically. The same space can have a celestial beauty and turn completely to a very dramatic atmosphere. »
Iceland appeared to them both as ideal for the staging of a mythical aquatic creature – embodied by Alexi Shell – straight out of the sad oil slicks to wash up on a sandy beach – also black. The Fall recounts the painful arrival of this mermaid on dry land and her difficulty in acclimatizing there, but also her progressive evolution as she draws on her feminine strength, represented here as supernatural. She dreams of a freedom that would allow her to sacrifice nothing of herself and of this power. According to Florent Augizeau, “On this same beach, there are two versions of Alexi Shell: the very origin of her essence, then the conquering woman. » The clip thus translates the obsession of the musician for the transgressive figure of the mermaid, which offers the artist and activist for queer struggles the opportunity to address themes that are dear to them – among others the care and inclusiveness.
The art of slow motion
At the heart of the video, the contrasts shine. Sometimes, the plans parade at full speed to the rhythm of heavy frenetic bass at 140 BPM, sometimes, they follow the hypnotic slowness of a more ambient music. ” I think that magic often arises through a certain form of slowness”, says Lola Margrain. And if the two authors recognize the impact of the 8th art on their work as videographers, its influence on their imaginations differs. One finds there a real source of inspiration while it is more of a background for the other. At the director’s “it is often such and such a visual or symbolic image that[elle a] seen in a film or retained from a book or music that will unconsciously germinate or reveal an idea”. Florent’s work Augizeauhe is influenced by the fashion photographs of the 1990s or the design of the 1980s. Hence the impression of a shooting scene, in particular thanks to the beautiful costumes of designer Elena Budu. « There is something very dark and dramatic in the rendering that speaks to me enormously. », he explains. The impact of photography, obviously very present in the work, finds its best expression in slow motion. Because “slow motion is the unreal; it’s the dream sometimes. And pushed to the extreme and in a very precise framework, one can be tempted to create a kind of painting », concludes the director wisely.
© Florent Augizeau and Lola Margrain
