Céline Roustan
Mylène is the supervisor of a team of cleaners on a ferry. What starts out as a regular day, cleaning cabins, teaching newbies and dealing with tension, takes an unexpected turn when she is thrown a surprise birthday party. Initially quite touched by the initiative, seeing her deadname on the gift certificate sends her into a tailspin. With Laissez-moi danser (Let Me Dance) writer/director Valérie Leroy pens a complex drama with intricate layers, beautifully carried by a very compelling lead performance by Camille Le Gall.
Penned for a 48-hour challenge (which the screenplay of Let Me Dance won the top prize), in which the stories had to be articulated around a party, Leroy’s narrative was initially inspired by an interview she caught with a female janitor on a ferry. Immediately struck by how elegant the woman was, compared to preconceived expectations of someone with a job of that nature, the filmmaker felt compelled to tell the story of those women, beyond their uniforms. Eager to explore these characters outside of their work responsibilities and in a more personal context, Leroy wrote her script and decided to keep the Ferry setting, because of the cinematic quality it possesses – although, the film wasn’t actually shot on a ferry, all movie magic thanks to the impeccable set design.
At her surprise party Mylène is faced with a dilemma after her present is addressed to her deadname
Let Me Dance’s central hook is similar to that of a whodunnit – who is trying to attack Mylène in such an offensive way and why? Especially, as she seems to be beloved by her coworkers. Fleshing out all the supporting characters, by giving each of the women a little bit of backstory, Leroy is able to portray the general dynamics of the group, while leaving you wondering who may have orchestrated this hurtful act. With the pacing and tension of the film driven by the pressure the workers feel to finish their work on time, alongside Mylène’s urgency to discover the culprit before word spreads, the 17-minute duration flies by as we become more and more immersed with every minute that passes.
The emotional pull of the film mostly relies on Camille Le Gall’s nuanced and sensitive performance. She makes her character instantly likeable with how she juggles being the liaison between the cleaners and management, operating with an almost maternal demeanour, while also not letting her uniform get in the way of her natural poise. With very little said, we get to understand the character, but it is after her breakdown in the bathroom that her performance becomes even more remarkable. Bringing Mylène’s inner turmoil to the screen with a gripping authenticity, the contrast between the despair in this emotive moment, with the freedom she exudes in that final scene makes for a powerful conclusion.
Let Me Dance had a successful festival run in the 2017/2018 season with notable stops at SIFF, Short Shorts and ShortFest, before earning a César nomination in 2019. Leroy, who is also an actor, has since stepped back behind the camera for two short films – Teen Horses a comedy and Belle Etoile a musical reuniting her with lead actor Camille Le Gall – both produced again by Offshore.