25 May 2020, Florian Krautkrämer, 127 views
von Florian Krautkrämer
Minute 19 [Heloises erster Rückengang]
"Portrait de la jeune fille en feu" is also a film about looking and being looked at. The relationship between painter and portrayed person changes in this respect. The protagonists reflect on this with the saga of Orpheus and Eurydice, which they interpret in four different ways. The film takes up the motif by showing long corridors with back views, but can only take up one perspective.
English translation of the spoken commentary:
She looks at me. You're looking at me. You are Eurydice. The movie is Eurydice. The movie is taking your gaze, not mine. Eurydice is the one who sees. Orpheus must not look, must not look back, in order not to push back Eurydice. I mustn't look back either, or you'll push me away. I'm not running away, I'm delaying the gaze. Looking back is both impatience and proof of love. The film can't take that look. It can only show it. It's always just Eurydice, not Orpheus.
made for the IDA Module "Videoessay – Writing with Images", HSLU 25.5.2020
for research and teaching purposes
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