AllMovie

In the common usage, the French phrase mise en abîme refers to an imagistic reproduction of another image - or a mirror effect. This release constitutes a mise en abîme of the films of director Françoise Romand; also referred to as a "happening," the program blends elements of reality and fiction/fantasy, as a form of domestic theater. Romand was inspired by a work called 'The Sprinkler Sprinkled," that involved a performance of her own great grandfather in the role of a child who bent a hose to prevent the water from coming out. To create the resultant tapestry, Romand visited tenants in a series of apartment houses and had them improvise documentary scenes, and then integrated these fictionally into excerpts from previous films in her repertoire, modified slightly in the cutting room. The Participants include a variety of thespians, technicians and "angel-guides." Bonus features include the original trailer, a short-subject film called 'Mix Up,' and a segment entitled Réflexions désaobligeontes.