Wild Side opens with the camera exploring the contours of Stephanie’s (Stephanie Michelini) body. Stephanie is a transsexual, and French director Sébastien Lifshitz, the director of Presque Rien, wants us to make no mistake as to who, and what, Stephanie is. With any anticipatory voyeurism over, Lifshitz gets on with telling her story.

And that story is of a Parisian, transsexual prostitute with two lovers, who returns to her childhood home to care for her dying mother. She’s soon followed by Russian refugee Mikhail (Edouard Nikitine), who doesn’t speak French, and Arab rent boy Jamel (Yasmine Belmadi), who will fuck anyone anywhere to support his family.

Stephanie’s mother is relatively unphased by the trio – although she insists on calling Stephanie Pierre – and tries to build bridges with her daughter, but their relationship is stilted. Memories of her childhood and the death of her sister come flooding back to Stephanie – a stark contrast to her present life.

Usually transsexuals are portrayed as screeching, egocentric Barbie dolls, but neither Stephanie’s physiology or her sexuality is Lifshitz’s main concern. He’s only interested in making us see more than the name tags of transsexual, prostitute and immigrant. He shows Stephanie happily running through fields as a child; Mikhail’s unhappiness with his new country; and Jamel’s squalid exchanges in public toilets. A lack of acceptance by society has forced them all into a position of degradation.

Rather than using a traditional plot structure or a linear narrative, Lifshitz’s low-key direction captures a sense of who his characters are. In fact, there’s very little dialogue at all.

Wild Side is interesting because of its subject matter. As a piece of art it’s also accomplished, thanks in part to Agnes Godard’s (Beau Travail) subtle and stylised cinematography evoking a time of tranquillity and past innocence. Michelini is a striking presence with a strong jaw-line, but she’s at ease with her body and her natural beauty leave you in no doubt about her femininity.

This unconventional family unit work as each other’s comfort zones, sleeping, caring and supporting each other with few jealousies between them. Lifshitz’s intentions are honourable, but it’s debatable how realistic or how long such a union could last.

Wild Side’s meditative style won’t be to everyone’s tastes and some may find the sex scenes unpalatable, but those who accuse Lifshitz of participating in pretentious, cinematic wanking would be missing the point.

Wilde Side is released on 15 April 2005 at the Curzon Soho, Filmhouse Edinburgh, Cine Lumière, Chapter Cardiff, Pictureville Bradford, Phoenix Oxford and the Duke of Yorks Brighton.

Read our interview with Sébastien Lifshitz and Stephanie Michelini and a previous interview with Sébastien Lifshitz where he talks about Presque Rien.

Wild Side [2005]
Label: Parasol Peccadillo
Released: 3 October 2005
ASIN: B000ANVNIU
Catalogue Number: PPD101

Get the DVD of the Wild Side online and save yourself some money to put towards À Toute Vitesse, Skin Flick and Hustler White.