Celine and Julie Go Boating (1974)

The film begins with Julie sitting on a park bench immersed in a book of magic spells. This tranquil moment sets the stage for the whimsical journey about to unfold in Paris.

Céline walks by, accidentally dropping various possessions in a manner reminiscent of Lewis Carroll's White Rabbit. Intrigued, Julie starts collecting the items, unable to resist the pull of Céline's enchanted world.

Julie begins to follow Céline throughout the bustling streets of Paris, sprinting up the Montmartre hills to keep up with her. This chase reflects Julie's curiosity and desire to connect with Céline on a deeper level.

After their adventurous first encounters, Céline decides to move in with Julie. This new arrangement marks the beginning of their intertwined lives and shared experiences.

Céline pretends to be Julie to meet her childhood sweetheart, showcasing the playful yet complex nature of their friendship. Meanwhile, Julie fills in for Céline at a cabaret audition, further blurring their identities.

Céline and Julie visit the enigmatic address, 7 bis, rue du Nadir-aux-Pommes. There, they discover a mansion shrouded in mystery, once a workplace for Céline where she cared for a sick child and dealt with familial jealousy.

The two women begin experiencing a peculiar phenomenon as one of them enters the house and then returns hours later, disoriented and exhausted. Each time they emerge from the house, they find themselves with a candy lodged in their mouths, hinting at a deeper connection to the mansion's mystery.

Realizing that the candy is a means to traverse between realities, Céline and Julie begin using it to revisit the mansion's narrative. With each taste, they unlock and remember portions of the repetitive story they are entangled in.

As the women navigate the house’s story, they uncover the tragic tale of a young girl’s murder amidst jealous interactions of the mansion's residents. The narrative loops allow them to witness the events repeatedly, turning them into reluctant participants.

Céline and Julie start altering the script of the narrative, leveraging their knowledge of the repeating events. They begin incorporating jokes and improvisations, seizing control as they rewrite their roles and the storyline.

In a bold act of creativity, the two heroines successfully save the murdered girl, altering the fatal outcome of the story. This act symbolizes their growth and newfound agency within the narrative.

After rescuing the girl, Céline and Julie are transported back to Julie's apartment. They are astonished to find the young girl, Madlyn, now safe and part of their reality, bridging the gap between their two worlds.

In a serene moment, Céline, Julie, and Madlyn take a rowboat out on a tranquil river, reveling in their newfound calm. However, they feel an ominous presence as they spot figures from the mansion's past approaching them.

As they paddle along the river, the trio becomes silent upon seeing the approaching boat containing their former selves locked in time. This encounter hints at the lingering influence of the mansion's alternate reality in their current lives.

The film ends with Céline dozing off on a park bench, catching sight of Julie as she rushes by, reminiscent of their first encounter. Julie drops her magic book again, symbolizing the cyclical nature of their journey and the enduring magic in their lives.