Unveiled at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival last May, Niki arrives in French cinemas this October 9. It’s Charlotte Le Bon who slips (very well) into the skin of the artist Niki de Saint-Phalle in front of Céline Salette’s camera. The opinion and criticism of Bulles de Culture.
Synopsis :
Paris 1952, Niki (Charlotte Le Bon) moved to France with her husband and daughter, far from a suffocating America and family. But despite the distance, Niki is regularly shaken by reminiscences of her childhood which invade her thoughts. From the hell that she will discover, Niki will find in art a weapon to free herself.
Niki: a biopic on the famous Niki de Saint-Phalle
Three biopics are released in cinemas this month of October 2024: Lee (on photographer Lee Miller), Mr Aznavour (about the famous singer) and Niki about the painter, engraver, sculptor and film director Niki de Saint-Phalle.
Disappeared in 2022, the visual artist carried within her the painful family secrets associated with incest. At a time when speech is freed, this film about ten years of his life is timely.
Daddy (seemingly simple title strong when you know its history) and A dream longer than the night are two films that had been made Niki de Saint-Phalle in the 70s. Today, she is the heroine of a film which tells more about the woman than the artist.
“It was by discovering an interview with Niki de Saint Phalle on Juliette Binoche’s Instagram that I am struck both by the power of the artist’s speech in 1965 and by her resemblance to Charlotte Le Bon. Céline Salette explains to us in the press kit.
When traumatic memory meets art
This will make him want to make his very first film. In this film simply called Nikithe artist Niki de Saint-Phalle will recover the memory of the paternal incest suffered. We see her trying to get up, revealing herself through Art. Céline Salette adds: “Her journey, what she accomplishes as a transmutation, is for me her greatest work. A work that she will have to renew throughout her life. To die and be reborn to herself.”.
Everything has already been said about this sensitive and elegant cinematographic work. There we find a real female gazea real working hand in hand between a female director and a high-flying partneralso a director – and therefore inevitably gives good advice.
A film of resilience
Were you wondering? Here is the answer: no work by Niki de Saint-Phalle is shown in the film. The rights were very complicated to obtain, and there was no authorization. But Céline Salette having seen a parallel between the story of emancipation of Niki de Saint-Phalleand that of many women, she was interested in seeing Niki transform.
And the point of view of catharsis around the work was born. This is the angle that the viewer finds in this biopic Niki.
“It was not a question of knowing what the viewer might think of the works themselves, but of seeing the artist grappling with his creation, up close, in his catharsis.”explains the director.
This will undoubtedly frustrate some: the life span played in the film is reduced (a decade) and does not show any work. It will certainly be necessary to complete with a visit to exhibitions dedicated to Niki de Saint-Phalle. La fontaine Stravinskyalso called the Fountain of Automates, created in 1983, is, for example, a work still visible just next to the Georges-Pompidou National Center for Art and Culture in Paris. It has just been restored.
This fountain was created with the artist’s traveling companion and lover Jean Tinguely. Let us also salute the actor’s performance on this subject. Damien Bonnard who embodies it here. He is irresistible.
As for Charlotte Le Bonshe has proven time and again to be one of the actresses who must be counted on at all costs in the modern era. The role of Niki de Saint-Phalle is a great gift from Céline Salette.
Our opinion?
The biopic Niki makes us want to know more about Niki de Saint-Phalle because it highlights an inspiring woman. We can’t see the works but we can hear the emotions that run through them… and that’s not bad.
Learn more:
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TOP 3 Cinema: “Batman, the challenge” (1992), “Beauty and the Beast” (1991), “8 Women” (2002)
TOP 3 Literature: “The assessment of intelligence” (1935) by Paul Valéry, “Robert of proper names” (2002) by Amélie Nothomb, “To the two of us, Paris!” (2012) by Benoît Duteurtre
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