TIRESIA

Bertrand Bonello

France 115 min. min Fiction

Synopsis

Tiresia, a Brazilian transsexual of extreme beauty, lives illegally with her brother in the outskirts of Paris. Terranova, an aesthete with poetic ideas, likens Tiresia to a perfect rose. He ends up kidnapping her to keep her as his own. Deprived of her daily hormones, Tiresia transforms little by little before his eyes. Powerless before what his rose becomes, Terranova blinds Tiresia and leaves her for dead in the countryside. In a pitiful state between woman and man, Tiresia is taken in and cared for by Anna, a simple young girl. While recuperating, Tiresia discovers a sudden gift of premonition. But the presence of an oracle disturbs the Church. The parish priest has no choice but to confront Tiresia.

*Catalan première

Filmmaker

Bertrand Bonello

Bertrand Bonello born 11 September 1968 is a French film director, screenwriter, producer and composer. His background is in classical music, and he lives between Paris and Montreal. His work has also been associated with the New French Extremity.

His film The Pornographer (2001) won the FIPRESCI prize at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival. Tiresia (2003) was nominated for the Palme d’Or at the 2003 Cannes Film Festival.

His film House of Tolerance, a depiction of daily life in a fin-de-siècle Parisian bordello, premiered In Competition at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival.

His 2014 film Saint Laurent competed for the Palme d’Or in the main competition section at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival. The film was also selected as France’s submission for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film at the 87th Academy Awards.

Filmography: Nocturama (2016), Saint Laurent (2014, D’A 2015), Où en êtes vous? (2014, D’A 2015), Ingrid Caven, musique et voix (2012, D’A 2015), Casa de tolerancia (2011, D’A 2015), Where the Boys Are (2009, D’A 2015), De la guerre (2008, D’A 2015), Cindy, the Doll is Mine (2005, D’A 2015), Tiresia (2003, D’A 2015), Les aventures de James et David (2002, D’A 2015), Le pornographe (2001, D’A 2015), Quelque chose d’organique (1998, D’A 2015).

Bertrand Bonello

Film information

Director: Bertrand Bonello
Script: Bertrand Bonello, Luca Fazzi
Contact: Tamasa
With: Laurent Lucas, Clara Choveaux, Thiago Telès, Célia Catalifo, Lou Castel
Country: France
Year: 2003
Format: DCP
Length: 115 min. min
Language: French
Subtitles: Spanish
Edition: 2015