La Peau Blanche ("White Skin")

Directed by: Daniel Roby
When: 8 pm Saturday April 2 2005
Where: Muvico 1 - Centro Ybor

When: 2 pm Sunday April 3 2005
Where: Muvico 1 - Centro Ybor

Marc Paquet in La Peau Blanche

Henri (Frédéric Pierre) is a Haitian Québécois who lives with his Gaspé-bred roommate Thierry (Marc Paquet). They spend their spare time walking the crowded streets of Montreal discussing race relations, philosophy and the merits of various writers. For Thierry's birthday, Henri decides to treat him to a pair of hookers. Their naughty cavorting soon turns to horror when one of the prostitutes slits Henri's throat, nearly killing him. They proceed to concoct a story for their friends and families, blaming skinheads for the attack so they can put the incident behind them.

In the midst of the ensuing community uproar, Thierry begins to find himself attracted to Claire (Marianne Farley), an elusive and mysterious red-haired musician. Although Claire tries to discourage his advances, an intense carnal relationship begins. The attraction is a highly uncharacteristic one for Thierry, who has always had an aversion to the pale, translucent skin that often comes with red hair. In fact, everything about Claire is a little odd: her sexual appetites, her mysterious ailments, her bizarre family. Even more extraordinary is the fact that Claire's sisters and mother, all of whom are redheads, are particularly intent on soliciting his help with Claire's illness. Thierry seems blinded by love, but Henri grows suspicious: there seems to be more to fear about this family than Thierry can see.

La Peau Blanche, based on noted author Joël Champetier's novel, is a fresh, genre-busting work, mixing elements of science fiction, romance and fantasy. Outsiders mingle with other outsiders; the alienated move among themselves in a paranoid circle. Multi-layered metaphors steeped in notions of racial fear pervade the film, but they are delivered with a healthy dose of ironic humour and postmodern casualness. With nods to David Cronenberg (the film uses excerpts from Rabid) and such Roman Polanski creations as Rosemary's Baby, director Daniel Roby's situations, dialogue and characters inhabit a real world gone terrifyingly askew. La Peau Blanche is a strikingly assured piece of filmmaking that uses atmosphere and suggestion to intrigue and terrify throughout.