La Chambre des magiciennes (2000)
Directed by Claude Miller

Film Review

La Chambre des magiciennes combines themes of mental illness and occult mysticism using some disturbing visual images.  With a shaky hand-held digital camera, Miller manages to depict the world from the point of view of someone with a neurological illness, the dizzying loss of perspective and contrast being familiar to anyone who has experienced such a condition.  Although the images in the film are comparatively mundane, the way in which they are filmed and assembled is disorientating and, in some instances, quite shocking.

Whilst La Chambre des magiciennes should be commended for its original use of new technology and the way in which it transforms the mundane into some kind of surreal fantasy, it is not an easy film to watch.  There is little in the way of a coherent story and it often appears superficial and self-indulgent.  Indeed most spectators will be left totally perplexed by what is shown.  This is certainly an interesting and worthwhile excursion for Claude Miller, but it is far from being his best work.

Film Synopsis

Claire, a 30-year-old anthropology student, is suffering from severe migraine attacks and consults the bizarre Dr Fish.  When the medicine she is prescribed fails to have any effect, Claire insists on being admitted to hospital.  Here, she shares a room with two other women.  The younger woman, Odette, is paralysed after a miscarriage and spends all of her time watching television.  The older woman, Eléonore, is more of a mystery and receives visits every day from her husband.  Although silent for most of the time, almost as if she is in a coma, Eléonore has periodic fits of madness, staring with wild eyes and sometimes roaming the corridors at night.  From a nurse, Claire learns that the strange old woman is reputed to have mysterious healing powers.  Gradually, Claire's initial fear of Eléonore turns to fascination and when she leaves hospital she finds she is a completely changed woman...