Watch Celine and Julie Go Boating

Celine and Julie Go Boating is a French film from 1974 directed by Jacques Rivette. The movie stars Juliet Berto and Dominique Labourier as Celine and Julie, two women with very different personalities who become friends and embark on a surreal adventure together. The plot of the film revolves around Celine, a magician, and Julie, a librarian. They meet by chance one day and immediately hit it off. They begin to spend time together, and as they get to know each other better, they discover that they share an interest in a strange, old mansion in the city. The house seems to be haunted by a woman named Madlyn, played by Bulle Ogier, who once lived in the house and died there under mysterious circumstances.

One day, while the two women are sitting in a park near the mansion, they witness a strange and unsettling scene. A woman is sitting on a bench with her young daughter, reading a story. Suddenly, another woman comes out from behind a tree and steals the child away. Celine and Julie are shocked and follow the woman, hoping to rescue the child. This is where the adventure begins. Through a series of dreamlike situations, the two women discover that they have the power to enter the world of the storybook that the missing child was reading.

In this surreal world, they encounter Madlyn, who seems to have the power to control the narrative of the story. Celine and Julie become characters themselves, and Madlyn sends them on a mission to save the fictional characters in the storybook from a cruel fate.

As the two women navigate this mysterious world, they must use their wits and their imagination to survive. Along the way, they encounter a cast of eccentric characters, including a man who is obsessed with his tea, a pair of young lovers who are constantly struggling, and a group of actors who are rehearsing a play. Each of these characters seems to be connected to the mystery of the house and the missing child, but it is up to Celine and Julie to unravel the truth.

The movie is a tribute to the power of imagination and storytelling. It explores the ways in which fiction can become reality, and reality can become fiction. It is a film that challenges the viewer's perceptions of what is real and what is not, and it blurs the line between fantasy and reality.

The performances by Berto and Labourier are exceptional. They bring a sense of playfulness and spontaneity to their roles, and they create a real sense of friendship between their characters. Their chemistry is the heart of the film, and it is what makes the journey so enjoyable to watch.

Bulle Ogier is also excellent as Madlyn. She brings a sense of mystery and danger to the character, and she is masterful at conveying the idea that Madlyn is controlling the narrative of the story. She is at once alluring and frightening, and she adds an element of excitement and intrigue to the film.

The cinematography is also noteworthy. The film is shot in a way that feels dreamlike and ethereal. The camera lingers on the characters' faces as they contemplate their situation or react to something surprising. Some scenes are shot in a way that makes it difficult to tell what is real and what is not, which adds to the sense of unreality.

In conclusion, Celine and Julie Go Boating is a unique and enthralling film that challenges the viewer's perceptions of reality. It is a movie that plays with the boundaries between fiction and reality, and it celebrates the power of imagination and storytelling. The cast and crew have created a film that is both thought-provoking and entertaining, and it is a must-see for anyone interested in unconventional cinema.