In “Les Trois Valseurs,” Agnès, a heartbroken widow shares a night with Jean, a male sex worker. She only asks for a single favour from the latter, one that is neither sexual nor lustful and also unexpected in the young man’s line of work: she covets companionship.
This short film, directed and written by Oriana Ng, lives up to its apt tag line: What happens when money buys presence instead of pleasure? The filmmaker particularly excels at examining female desires and other themes such as love and closeness through the female gaze, handling all with beauty and sensitivity. The female protagonist Agnès (Ophélie Lehmann) is also headstrong and direct about what she wants. She’s open about her motivations in hiring Jean (Mikaël Mittelstadt).
Subverting Expectations
With expert storytelling, the audience learns to empathize with Agnés. It subverts our expectations, just like the novice Jean—a self-proclaimed ‘fast learner’—who initially mistakes his client for yet another rich trophy wife using his services to escape a loveless marriage. The audience learns to perceive Agnés’ state of mind through an accepting lens without condemning her for experiencing human and universal emotions. Her companion Jean is also likeable, adding a tinge of humour to the lingering awkwardness between the pair. For instance, he sings off-key just to elicit a smile from the grieving Agnès. While he isn’t very good at initiating small talk, he still senses her loneliness.
Mittelstadt is charming as Jean, winning one over with his expressive, sparkling eyes that lend to the charismatic personality of this character. On the other hand, Ophélie Lehmann plays Agnès well, conveying the inner sadness of her character. She wallows under a heavy blanket of grief that has clouded her memories of her deceased husband—especially his gifts—which now exist as reminders of a numbing loss.
An Anthem for Platonic Intimacy
Lastly, the greatest strength of “Les Trois Valseurs” (apart from the chemistry shared between the lead actors) lies in it breaking free from the long-held stereotype of French cinema being laden with boudoir scenes. It instead emphasizes the platonic intimacy between its lead pair. Simultaneously, it serves as a sublime work on how love and intimacy aren’t merely built on lust or riches, and can extend beyond both.
* “Les Trois Valseurs” will be playing at the Dances With Films festival on Saturday, June 21, at 2 pm PT.
