Film Appreciation
Many people have experienced a moment when passion, trust, and vulnerability collide with an unexpected obstacle. In her acclaimed 2019 short film Diagonale (Diagonal), Swiss-French filmmaker Anne Thorens explores that uncomfortable intersection through a deceptively simple scenario: a young couple in the midst of an intimate encounter discovers they do not have a condom. What begins as a minor inconvenience gradually reveals deeper questions about consent, communication, and the subtle power dynamics that can emerge within a relationship.
Rather than offering easy answers, Thorens invites viewers to examine how boundaries can become blurred when desire, trust, and emotional pressure coexist. Filmed in a single continuous take, the six-minute drama creates an increasingly tense atmosphere as the conversation unfolds, allowing the audience to experience the situation in real time.
The film deliberately avoids clear-cut judgments, instead encouraging reflection on how two people can perceive the same moment very differently. Thorens has described Diagonale as a question rather than an answer, challenging viewers to consider where consent begins, where it can be compromised, and how emotional experiences are often remembered in profoundly different ways.
The film features compelling performances from Leonor Oberson and Cyprien Colombo, whose natural chemistry lends authenticity to the story's emotional complexity. Their performances, combined with Thorens' restrained direction, transform an everyday situation into a thoughtful examination of intimacy, agency, and the importance of being heard.
Source:
https://www.shortoftheweek.com/2021/01/07/diagonale-diagonal/
https://www.swissfilms.ch/en/person/anne-thorens/caa9602fef5048d783bc31f5ea2e4759
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10210052/
https://en.imaginastudio.com/cinema/diagonale
https://youtu.be/Ev2g6U30XU0