The House is a short film inspired by the book "Poetics of Space" by Gaston Bachelard. The short film assembles through its non-linear narrative fragments of existences, memories, in a timeless way. It reunites all the characters in the house’s intimacy showing scenes of questioning, fear, love. The film depicts in an unconventional fragmented narrative, the relationships between various women’s existences within a house (past, present and future).
The film explores poetically the idea of The House as a receptacle of our collective memory, and the intimate transgenerational connections that exist through our houses. Coming from a poetic and philosophical approach, the film then shaped itself around the transgenerational cycles and the interconnection of all those feminine existences within its walls. “The House” stands for the depths of my inner self and subconscious, where I am working on conscientizing, understanding and healing from this transgenerational baggage. “The House’s" narrative symbolizes all the women who came before me and who will come after me, the intimate transgenerational connection which brings us all together, and how we navigate this transgenerational baggage.
Ophélie Verhaeghe de Naeyer was granted the 2024 Central Saint Martins Graduate Award for this film and the following up live performance. Her work has been bought by the Central Saint Martins Archive Museum.
STILLS
Live Performance (June 2024)
I reworked in June 2024 My Film “The House” into a live performance for the Summer Showcase. This performance is called “The House of Memories”. For this performance I reworked the soundtrack, and the film to create a live performance merging art performance, projection art and essay reading. It revolves around the exploration of the house as a recipient of our collective memory and a reflection of our souls. It explores the poetics of space and the transgenerational memories that are carried through our houses. It was a way to bring physicality and a new layer of emotions and connection to the audience.
Performed by Alice De Crais
Assistant Director Simone Martis
Credits
Written, Directed and Produced by Ophélie Verhaeghe de Naeyer,
Co-Directed by Sumi Li
Director of Photography - Julius Proost
1st assistant camera - Manca Nagobe Kuplenik
2nd assistant camera - Sorian Bagnaud
Gaffer : Paul Namura
Best boy : Enzo Schiro & Vic Dive
Key grip : Asma Azarkane
Grip : Balthazar Maizière
1st assistant director - Manon Bayor
2nd assistant director - Victoria Presciutti
Script supervisor - Gaia Businelli
Sound mixer - César Minel
Boom operator - Eliott Bacquias & Valentin Tenaillon
Video editor - Julius Proost
Colour grading - Manca Nagobe Kuplenik
Sound editing - Eliott Bacquias & Louison Butey-Picarle
Sound mixing - Valentin Tenaillon & César Minel
Original Score by Aurian Baudhuin
Piano - Aurian Baudhuin
Violin - Juliette Coppens
Violin - Lorena Lario
Viola - Lucille Chevalier
Cello - Maxence Matagne
Bass - Anne Good
Recording by César Minel, Elliott Bacquias and Valentin Tenaillon
Actors
Nicole Verhaeghe de Naeyer
Inès Kaddar
Lavinia de Crombrugghe
Aliénor van der Straten Waillet
Rose de Giey
Catherine de Fooz