Femcel Fridays #6: "Pearl" and "Mouchette"
TW: the "Mouchette" section has mention of s*xual violence.
Pearl (2022) dir. Ti West
When I first started this series of biweekly film criticism, I knew I would eventually have to write about Pearl. Ti Westβs A24 film from 2022, starring Mia Goth, instantly became a classic among the girlblogosphere, inspiring countless fancam edits and profile pictures. Released just six months after X and co-written by Mia Goth, Pearl provided her the perfect platform to showcase her acting chops and secure her position as Hollywoodβs latest scream queen.
Pearl represents the quintessential femcelβthe female outsider (or βsigma,β a term I discussed in my Girl, Interrupted post) who endures great violence and, as a result, inflicts violence on herself or others. Much like Amy in Gone Girl, Pearl has become an antihero to self-appointed outsiders, just as Patrick Bateman and Travis Bickle are to the sigma males. The way these characters redeem themselves through violence points to a fascination among audiences, as evidenced by the popularity of true crime podcasts and the Scream franchise. These stories allow people to experience something outside their ordinary livesβsomething they could never imagine themselves or anyone they know doing.
The way people have embraced Zendayaβs character in Challengers, a pretty emotionally vacant but sociopathic girlboss who doesnβt take no for an answer, points to a shift in accepting βstrong female charactersβ even when they lack substance. People love a female killer not only because it is supposedly rarer than male killing, but because female-on-female violence, allegedly the rarest of all crimes, is glorified on screen.
The female revenge fantasy was ramped up even more during the βMe Tooβ movement, possibly opening a channel allowing Mia Gothβs Pearl to find her place in contemporary culture. Girls like to see girls get revenge, even if itβs at the expense of another woman.
The cloth mask Pearl wears, meant to safeguard against the Spanish flu of 1918, connects with modern audiences who experienced the effects of the late COVID-19 pandemic. Many could relate to the social isolation brought on by the lockdowns of 2020 onward which Pearl experienced just by being born into a bad life.
In essence, the emergence of Sigmas in contemporary culture may signify a shift in societal dynamics, or perhaps it simply sheds light on a demographic that has always existed, now amplified by digital platforms and a broader cultural discourse. Mia Gothβs portrayal of Pearl stands as a testament to this phenomenonβan iconic character that resonates deeply, shaping the cinematic landscape of the 2020s and beyond.
Mouchette (1967) dir. Robert Bresson
My inspiration for exploring Pearlβs narrative stemmed from revisiting Robert Bressonβs poignant film Mouchette. Like Pearl, Mouchette immerses us into the harrowing existence of an outsiderβa young girl enduring the bleakness of life amidst an alcoholic father and a dying mother in a remote French village. Bressonβs adaptation, drawn from a 1937 novel, serves as a precursor to Pearlβs tale, providing an early cinematic portrayal of the young female outsider, whom I identify as the femcel.
Mouchette, her name translating to βlittle fly,β chronicles the journey of a young teenage girl over the course of a few days, wherein a series of violent events catalyze her transition from girlhood to adolescence. A film like Mouchette, characterized by its slow and minimalist style, may present a challenge for modern audiences. However, it is precisely this deliberate pacing of slow cinema that I recommend to viewers seeking to challenge themselves.
Why would a man in his sixties, Bressonβs age at the time he made the film, choose to focus on the life of a young teenage girl? In an interview, Bresson stated: βWhat I find interesting is thrusting a child, a young girl, into a situation thatβs terribly mean, even nasty, and seeing how she reacts.β Not a very kind thing for the artist to say, but honest nonetheless.
The depiction of Mouchetteβs harsh experiencesβbullied by her teacher and classmates, abused by her alcoholic father, and sexually assaulted by a strangerβreveals Bressonβs unflinching gaze, though not necessarily sympathetic. However, this doesnβt diminish his empathy for the characters. The filmβs resolution, where Mouchette dies by rolling into the water after enduring trauma, offers a bleak yet poignant ending, typical of French cinemaβs exploration of sex and death.
While twentieth-century audiences may have accepted Mouchetteβs fate, modern viewers demand more. In the 21st century, Mouchetteβs story would only scratch the surface; seeking revenge is quintessentially American. Men, often driving this narrative, may be motivated by a perverse fantasy, as seen in Quentin Tarantinoβs Kill Bill series. While not condemning these films, itβs evident they have a fascination with violence that captivates audiences, inheriting from 1980s slasher films.
In conclusion, Mouchette challenges us with its refusal to provide easy answers, mirroring the complexities of life itself. Tony Raynsβs commentary on the Criterion edition offers a thought-provoking insight: βHaving lost her mother and experienced sex, she has nothing left to live for. Sheβs completely alone and, in a curious way, fulfilled.β
This perspective on the female psyche, where fulfillment is found in victimhood, may seem inherently male-driven, fitting for a film directed by a man about a young girl. Yet, as a woman, I find myself empathizing with Mouchette, seeing reflections of her struggles in people around me. Her choice to end her life feels tragically inevitable, resonating deeply despite its bleakness. While it may be depressing, such is the essence of a French film from the 1960sβchallenging, raw, and unapologetically honest.
Mouchette is also streaming for free using your library card on Kanopy.
Bonus:
Interviewer: Can you summarize Mouchette as you see it?
Bresson: No, it canβt be summarized. If it could, itβd be awful.