H.O.T.E.L
INFOS
- thème Graduation film
- formation 3rd year
- année Promotion 2024
- durée 12:58
SYNOPSIS
Alan, in his thirties, has been staying for several months at the H.O.T.E.L., a luxury establishment where the spirits of people who have fallen into a coma are welcomed. Settling into a routine, he makes the most of the hotel's comforts and activities. But one day, Alan falls under the spell of Alizée, a young resident who is about to shake up his daily routine...
Behind the scenes at H.O.T.E.L.: creating a world between dreams and confinement
Halfway between fantasy and reality, H.O.T.E.L. doesn’t just tell a story: it builds a world. Behind this graduation short film by Élise Marteau lies a real reflection on life, death… and what happens in between.
A place at the heart of the production
From the outset, the hotel is much more than just a setting. It becomes a character in its own right. An elusive space, outside time and the world, where comatose spirits find themselves. Neither truly real, nor entirely imaginary, this place embodies a zone of transition – a fascinating in-between.
This narrative choice has a direct influence on the film’s direction. Every shot is designed to convey the hotel’s gradual hold over Alan, the protagonist. At first, the frames are unbalanced, almost unstable. Then, as he becomes immersed, they become increasingly symmetrical, ordered and almost suffocating. A visual evolution that accompanies that of the character.
An aesthetic between paradise and oppression
One of the film’s major challenges lies in this paradox: representing a place that is both idyllic… and profoundly oppressive.
To achieve this, the production uses :
- bright, warm, almost unreal colours
- luxurious, geometric settings
- visual inspiration drawn from contrasting worlds, blending softness and unease
This delicate balance reflects a powerful idea: what seems perfect can become a prison. The hotel is a paradise from which it becomes difficult to escape.
Characters at the heart of the story
The film is based on the meeting of two world views:
- Alan, locked into a comfortable routine, a symbol of resignation
- Alizée, dynamic and combative, embodying the desire to live.
This contrast structures the entire narrative. Where Alan suffers, Alizée acts. Where he gives in, she fights.
The film’s direction accompanies this opposition, in particular through the rhythm, framing and direction of the actors. The upstream work with the actors helped build a credible and evolving relationship, reinforced by their complicity from the casting stage. The actors’ improvisation and suggestions fed into the production, making their interactions more organic.
Sound: a tool for immersion and tension
Beyond the images, the sound work plays an essential role in building the atmosphere.
The film begins in an almost light-hearted mood, with repetitive jazz music underlining Alan’s routine. But gradually the sound becomes a vector of anxiety:
- amplified noises (the bingo abacus, the doors)
- the synchronised actions of the residents
- sound elements linked to the real world, such as the electrocardiogram.
This shift in sound accompanies the development of the story, reinforcing the feeling of confinement and loss of control.
A controlled build-up of power
As the film progresses, the hotel fills up. The residents and staff become increasingly present, invading the frame. This visual densification reflects the growing oppression felt by the main character.
Everything is designed to create a gradual build-up:
- increasing the number of extras
- synchronisation of movements
- increasingly tight, symmetrical frames
The film’s direction plays on accumulation to generate tension that is almost invisible, but constant.
An ambitious collective project
Behind H.O.T.E.L. lies a human adventure. For almost nine months, some forty students from a wide range of disciplines worked together to bring the project to life.
From production to post-production, each department contributed to building this demanding universe. This collective effort is evident on screen, both in the artistic coherence and in the wealth of detail.
A film about the choice to live
Over and above its meticulous aesthetics, H.O.T.E.L. poses an essential question: should we remain in illusory comfort or face up to reality?
Through Alan and Alizée, the film explores the inner struggle between abandonment and resilience. The hotel becomes a powerful metaphor for our own confinement.
Behind the scenes, every directorial intention, every visual and sound choice, converges on this idea. To make people feel, rather than tell.
Crédits
Technical List
Director : Élise Marteau
1st Ass. Director : Laurie Campos
2nd Ass. Director : Pierre Robbe
Scriptwriter : Valentin Chauveau
Production manager : Jeanne Chenot
Production Ass. : Valentin Corrado
Stage manager : Valentin Chauveau
Assistant stage manager : Vicente Sanjines
Assistant stage manager : Thomas Valette
Assistant stage manager : Malo Gerin
Script : Tom Marcelle
Casting director : Mona Bruant
Casting extras : Thomas Valette
Head of HMC : Mona Bruant
Make-up artist : Barbara Boureille
Hairdresser : Indira Grunn
Head of Communications : Mona Bruant
Director of Photography : Sami Chelihi
A-team camera operator : Yvica Wechtier
1st Ass. Operator Team A : Vincent Serre
2nd assistant operator team A : Déborah Ouldbabaali
B Team Cameraman / Aquatic Cameraman : Tanguy Cote
1st Ass. Operator Team B : Lucas Lauby
2nd ass. team operator B : Valentin Da Silva
Sound engineer : Baptiste Andre
Perchman : Servann Menoury
Perchman : Claire Vavasseur Seferian
Head decorator : Violette Serpollet
1st Decorator's assistant : Chiara Almudever
Decorator's assistant : Eve Moulin
Decorator's assistant : Tom Marcelle
Accessory maker : Hugo Biessy
Chief electrician : Khalol Ben Zlaouia
Best Boy : Noah Clouzeau-Taoui
Electrician : Julie Grimaud
Electrician : Catheline Peguet
Reinforcement electrician : Benjamin Benitah
Reinforcement electrician : Juliette Martin
Reinforcement electrician : Roxane Bougeot
Reinforcement electrician : Théo Danneels
Head machinist : Erghi Ceka
Machinist : Océane Bernard
Machinist : Maya Mahjoub
Machinist : Coralie Laverrière
Post-production Director : Valentin Garde Bourson
DIT : Chrystel Hoffman
Calibrator : Nicolas Castel
Generic Manager : Hugo Lede
Artistic List
Alan : Julien Ruffault
Alizée : Lucie Pollet
Viktor : Gilbert Bouchard
Private Viktor 1 : Maxime Rota Scalabrini
Private Viktor 2 : Benoit Triqueneau
Bingo Winner : Sacha Kattan
New resident : Kevin Lambert
Cleaning lady : Monika Moreno
Waitress : Aline Germain
Server : Lucas Ranchon
Cooker 1 : Silvy Gay
Cooker 2 : Alizée Berger
Cook 3 : Jean-Luc Chauveau
Planter : Amel Houas
Gardener : Jean Pierre Delavaud