Augustine

Set in the late 19th century, a period of rapid progress in neurology and hypnosis. Doctors used public demonstrations to attract funding and advance controversial theories about the female body. The atmosphere blends medical rigor with theatrical research, reflecting the era's boundaries between science and spectacle.

The film unfolds in a late-19th-century hospital and sanatorium setting, where neurological patients are observed as part of medical advances. Augustine's confinement takes place within a clinical environment that doubles as a spectacle for fellow doctors. The story also takes the action to Bordeaux for a conference, highlighting the era's culture of professional demonstrations and funding hunts.

⚖️ Ethics

The narrative centers on the ethical tension of turning a patient into a test subject for funding. Augustine's consent is mediated by the prestige and ambition of Charcot, raising questions about autonomy and exploitation in medical research. The story exposes how scientific prestige can trump individual welfare, at least in the moment of discovery.

🔒 Confinement

Augustine is kept within the hospital's walls, effectively imprisoned as a living tool for observation. Charcot's control—over her room, meals, and treatment—highlights power dynamics between physician and patient. The escape attempt becomes a bid for personal sovereignty against institutional confinement.

🌹 Female agency

The film interrogates the female body and the constructs of hysteria imposed by male-dominated medicine. Augustine's menstruation and sexual undertones challenge the doctors' gaze and demand recognition of her agency. Her final escape reframes the narrative from medical triumph to reclaiming autonomy.