Chrome, Steel, And Sequins: A Review of "She Is Conann"
Remember last January when we thought Halloween 2023 would be a parade of 2,000 “M3gans?” That didn’t quite come to fruition (Hi Barbie!). While it definitely won’t have the same mainstream appeal, Bertrand Mandico’s “She is Conann,” a queer art-house fantasy epic, will definitely inspire some crazy costumes.
If that was too many descriptors, well, get ready for more.
We’re guided through the life of Conann, a woman we meet as a 15-year-old slave, who becomes a warrior, and ascends to queen, all played by different actresses. Our “Ishmael” is Rainer, a hellhound played by Elina Löwensohn (“Schindler’s List”). Covered in a studded leather jacket and facial prosthetics, Rainer takes polaroid pictures throughout the film as he encounters and provokes Conann in her many incarnations. At 25, Conann is a warrior covered in silver and sequins, brandishing a sword like Sumerian Barbarella. At 35, she’s a bald Black woman living in an urban dystopia, meant to be the Bronx in the 90’s. Did I mention it’s in French?
Rainer the hellhound and some fascists.
Mandico is so dedicated to his gonzo vision, you have to admire him. There’s a lot to take in, and the lack of a plot makes the visuals hit that much harder. Every inch of “She Is Conann” is indie, filmed entirely on stages and in black and white 35 mm (except for a pointed few bursts of technicolor). Mandico has a whole set of rules for filmmaking that you can read in his manifesto. Yes, his manifesto.
There’s not much of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s “Conan” or even Robert E. Howard’s original Cimmerian barbarian concept in Mandico’s acid trip of a film. He might have added an “n” to avoid a copyright lawsuit, but besides the name, title, and a big-ass sword, this isn’t your dad’s Conan. This is the Conann you heard about from your sapphic aunt who turned you on to “Bikini Kill” and the films of Julia Ducournau and Lars Von Trier. At least Mandico seems more sane than Von Trier.
Julie Rideler (left) and Sandra Parfait (right) as possibly the first meeting of Red Sonja and Conan on film.
“She Is Conann” is primed for a cult following along the lines of “Mandy” and “The Head Hunter.” It has more big swings than a metalcore circle pit. Mandico pretty much dares you to follow his bonkers journey. While it was a little too impenetrable and avant garde for me, I have no doubt there are viewers who won’t see a challenge, but a ride they’ll gladly take. Look out for Conanns this Halloween, and be careful of their swords.
“She Is Conann” opens February 2nd. For information on screenings, check out Altered Innocence.
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