Céline and Julie Go Boating

Set primarily in the 1970s Paris, the film blends contemporary urban life with a dreamlike, episodic fantasy. The two women move between present-day Paris and the mansion's alternate reality within a single day, echoing themes of memory and time. The era's cultural milieu adds a bohemian mood to the capricious, literary-inspired narrative.

The action unfolds across the streets and cafés of Paris and a secluded mansion on a quiet street. The mansion is a liminal space where time loops and the walls disguise a parallel reality. The city provides a cinematic backdrop for the characters' magical adventures and the house's secrets.

🪄 Narrative Control

The protagonists discover they can actively shape the story by entering scenes and altering dialogues. A magical candy becomes a key to swapping between the house's alternate reality and the outside world. They treat the narrative as something malleable, allowing them to rewrite events and rescue the murdered girl. The shift from passive viewing to authorial power is central to the film's metafictional premise.

🤝 Friendship & Agency

Céline and Julie form a close, collaborative partnership that underpins their adventures. They learn to trust each other, pool their ideas, and navigate the house's mysteries together. Their alliance transforms them from spectators into co-creators who can influence outcomes. The bond between the two women sustains their resolve in the face of danger.

🔮 Reality vs Fiction

The house of fiction blurs lines between dream and waking life, with the candy gateways and shifting identities showing that stories can be lived. The characters slip into a parallel narrative where actions alter what is 'real.' The film uses these magical devices to explore how memory, desire, and narrative shape perception.