"The Electric Venus" divides Cannes: delicate masterpiece or failed opening?

Pierre Salvadori's gamble left no one indifferent on the Croisette. Presented as the opening film of the 79th Cannes Film Festival, The Electric Venus Since its release, it has provoked a sharp critical divide between overflowing enthusiasm and outright rejection.

Featuring a prestigious cast including Pio Marmaï, Anaïs Demoustier, Gilles Lellouche and Vimala Pons, the feature film immerses viewers in the Paris of the Roaring Twenties, amidst fake spiritualism, romantic melancholy and artistic manipulations.

A plot involving illusion and ghosts

In this drama tinged with romantic comedy, Suzanne, a penniless young woman played by Anaïs Demoustier, survives thanks to a traveling show called "Venus Electrificata," where she simulates electrical powers under a Parisian big top. Her fate takes a dramatic turn when she agrees to pose as a medium for Antoine, a grieving painter played by Pio Marmaï, unable to cope with the death of his wife, Irène.

Behind this deception orchestrated by a cynical art dealer played by Gilles Lellouche, the film gradually unfolds a more complex story than it appears, where the boundaries between lies, creation and consolation become increasingly blurred.

Part of the French press has been won over

In France, several critics praised the subtlety of the script and the director's staging. The New Obs evokes a veritable "script clockwork", admiring the way the narrative constantly changes point of view. Libération He, for his part, sees it as a brilliant reflection on cinema and the power of fiction.

Anaïs Demoustier's performance was also universally praised. Many highlighted the fragility she brought to her character, the fake fortune teller, while Pio Marmaï impressed in the role of the painter devastated by grief.

The film also captivates with its visual atmosphere and its blend of burlesque and sadness. Several French media outlets highlight Pierre Salvadori's unique ability to combine lightness, emotion, and social disillusionment.

A much colder reception internationally

But outside of France, the reception is considerably harsher. The British daily The Guardian judges the film "bland" and criticizes its story for a lack of energy. The Hollywood Reporter believes that the festival's opening lacks impact with this work deemed too artificial.

Even more virulent, Variety qualified The Electric Venus of "the worst festival opening film in ten years", denouncing a pretentious and laborious project despite its polished aesthetics.

Some international critics specifically point to the film's pacing, the numerous flashbacks surrounding the character of Irene, and a fantasy element they consider forced.

A film that embraces its artifice.

Despite these contrasting reactions, many agree on one point: Pierre Salvadori has created one of his most visually ambitious films. The recreation of 1920s Paris, the play on appearances, the atmosphere of a spiritualist cabaret, and the finely crafted dialogue give the film a very distinctive identity.

With The Electric VenusThe French director offers a deliberately theatrical and romantic work, where illusions serve as much to deceive as to survive. It remains to be seen whether this atypical approach will resonate with audiences long after the Cannes frenzy.