The film tells a simple story experienced by all children: how to invent an imaginary world to escape from everyday life framed by the rules imposed by parents (and the whole of society behind them). The medieval setting adds a historical touch which seeks to scratch, in the first part of the film, the idyllic image of the princess.
The film exploits the (rather facile) opposition between nature and culture. The world dreamed of by the little princess is in fact that of the threatening forest, populated by creatures that are frightening at first glance, whose plant kingdom takes over everything, from the walls of the castle to the objects of the culture to which we want to conform it. The graphics support this opposition between the geometric rigidity of the castle and the invasive fluidity of the animals and plants of the forest.
The story is therefore that of the discovery by the princess of the value of transgression. But the experience is at best a small sting, the character returning to the family circle, to share his discovery for a moment. In the process, we will have mischievously navigated in a world of clichéd images and glimpsed the possibility of their reverse side.
Understand the story and themes, express your feelings and develop critical thinking.
1Why does the little girl agree to do all the activities that are imposed on her?
A child is supposed to do what adults ask of him... A princess has duties regarding her rank, she must behave in a certain way, which she must learn...
2Why is she afraid of forest creatures?
They are monsters: unknown creatures that live outside of humans. They come from the forest, which itself is a dangerous place.
3Pourquoi peut-on dire que le monde de la forêt est à l’opposé de celui du château ?
The forest is organic, wild, disordered, free, while the castle is mineral, partitioned, regulated, constrained...
4What are all the elements that show that we are in a “princess story”?
Le château, les costumes médiévaux, les tableaux, les serviteurs, les activités conventionnelles (maintien, broderie, musique, littérature)...
5What new does the film show about princesses?
Their life was difficult, there were lots of rules to learn. They were not necessarily happy with their constrained situation. They were like prisoners...
6In the castle, what are the portraits used for? Est-ce qu’ils ont une influence sur la vie de la princesse ?
They are the princess's ancestors. Ils sont l’image de ce qu’elle doit devenir, des modèles qu’elle doit reproduire.
7Why does the princess have so much fun with the forest creatures?
Elles lui font vivre ce qu’elle ne peut pas faire habituellement. They are not subject to the rules of castle life, they break these rules. They take her out of the castle. They allow him to use his body freely.
8What did the princess learn?
That life was not limited to the rules of the life of a princess, that her parents could also want to have fun, that the way we must behave in society is like a garment that hides what we really are... References On the history of women: History of women in the West - volume 2 The Middle Ages, Georges Duby and Michelle Perrot, Christiane Klapisch-Zuber (dir.) (Plon, 1990). On the history of man's relationship with the forest: A history of the forest, by Martine Chalvet (Seuil, 2011).
Created with the support of the Ministry of National Education and the CNC.
Watching the film with the family, educational activities with parents at home and with teachers in class.
