29/08/2024 - VENICE 2024: In her 2039-set feature, starring Adèle Exarchopoulos, the French director brings science fiction, ecology and politics to the table

(© Fabrizio de Gennaro/Cineuropa)

In France, in 2039, environmental activists are fighting for their freedom. But the state has different ideas – they vanish, never to be heard from again. One of them is Julia (Adèle Exarchopoulos). Where do they go? Straight to a virtual prison called Planet B – a fake paradise where you can’t die, but what’s left is not exactly life, either. We talked to director Aude Léa Rapin about her Venice International Film Critics’ Week title Planet B [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Aude Léa Rapin
film profile].

Cineuropa: When we talk about so-called “festival films”, sci-fi spectacles are not usually on that list. Why did you want to do something different?
Aude Léa Rapin: I am very fond of sci-fi, especially in literature. I read such novels throughout my teenage years, but there weren’t that many female writers. And, a direct consequence of that was that there were not enough heroines. I don’t know why, but I didn’t mind it back then. I was used to following male stories. Later, it started to bother me. I guess #MeToo had something to do with it.

Making a sci-fi film with women – that was my first thought. The second one had to do with politics. Sci-fi stories can tell you so much about what we are experiencing right now and what we might experience in the future. But to make sci-fi, you need money. You can’t just do it with your friends, like I did with my first film [Heroes Don’t Die [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Aude Léa Rapin
film profile]]. Still, I wanted to try, as it felt like the right time.

In the story, it’s mentioned that this virtual prison could be used for refugees or other “unwanted” groups of people. That feels very timely. Did you want to comment on what you were seeing today?
Yes, and on the technology being used not to improve our human condition, but rather to trap and traumatise people. A few days ago, I was passing through Monaco, and I could see cameras everywhere. It’s all about control and about making sure people follow the rules. Also, I wanted to show how we treat eco-activists all over the world. I don’t know why, because most of the time, they are not even armed. In France, they are under surveillance. Why? I guess because they are right. The destruction of the environment is undeniable, regardless of where you stand politically. That’s scary, and that’s why I wanted to follow them in the film.

They are also ridiculed – it’s enough to think of Greta Thunberg.
When Greta Thunberg came to France, some people seemed bored. They weren’t listening. I was born near a region that is at the heart of the ecological protests in France. My childhood friends are involved in this movement. They are facing so much violence, and they are all very different people. I wanted that to be in the film: I wanted to show normal people. They are not like fighters; they reflect the society we are living in. I am not wondering if this fight is right; I am already on their side. I have a young daughter, and she will be confronted with a difficult future, which is why in Planet B, people don’t talk; they act.

The whole idea of a “virtual prison” is very believable, but how did you come up with it?
Have you ever experienced VR? I was at a festival a few years ago, and they asked us to try this new technology. I put on a headset and lost contact with reality. Some claim that in ten years or so, we will be in this virtual space all the time. I’ve heard that in some countries, people are already testing this advanced technology on prisoners – for example, on men with a history of violence against women. It can feel so realistic.

This prison is actually the nicest place in the film. The real world is already destroyed. Were you thinking about something like Blade Runner?
We didn’t have the budget of Blade Runner, or even that of Children of Men, but I tried to create a reality that would feel credible. You can already find places where it’s dark, dirty and nobody’s in charge any more. Where people fight to get their papers in order. This story is also a tale about migrants. In so many films, they are shown as victims, and it’s understandable – they go through hell. But I wanted to show someone [played by Souheila Yacoub] who tries her best to survive in this hostile world. She fights, does something illegal and ends up meeting these prisoners.

In Europe, we can’t compare our budgets to the USA or Asia. Luc Besson made some bigger films, but women? Hardly ever. It’s a challenge to create strong visual imagery. You need to be creative, but it was a great experience in terms of trying to make things possible. Once you open this door, you want to continue telling similar stories – it would be hard to go back to realism now. The younger generation, raised on Netflix and Amazon, is willing to make sci-fi films. I can feel this change coming, and festivals will need to adapt as well.