Alice & Viril (1993)

Introduction
"Alice & Viril", a French movie produced in 1993 by François Ozon, is an unusual brief movie that explores the themes of gender, power dynamics, and the human determination to take control. The movie uses metaphoric artistic expression to challenge societal stereotypes associated with masculinity and womanhood, assertion, and submission.

Synopsis
"Alice & Viril" is a 3-minute silent movie that narrates the sequence of regular events between two characters - Alice, a woman, and Viril, a male, played by Sasha Hails and Lucas Bléger respectively. The story begins with Alice and Viril sitting across each other at a little table in an otherwise empty space, their faces stone-cold and emotionless. The film does not have discussion, but the situational cues and body movement communicate a much deeper message about the conventional roles designated to different genders in society.

Plot Analysis
When the motion picture starts, Alice puts tea into 2 cups. She passes one to Viril, representing a customary womanly representation of accommodating male needs. However, as the narrative progresses, the characters change their functions in an interesting twist. Alice, viewed at first as submissive, slowly gets control over Viril by challenging him time and time again in various activities like arm-wrestling, a thumb war, and even an extreme video game of cards. Each time, Alice emerges triumphant, and her accomplishment does not just portray her benefit in the games but signifies her assertiveness and dominance. The continuous shift of power from Viril to Alice challenges the conventional representation of gender functions, providing a potent commentary on gender characteristics common in society.

The characters culminate their converse power battle with a psychological and quiet stare-down, after which, Alice stands and leaves. Viril is left sitting alone at the table, contemplating the unexpected shift of dominance, thus exceptionally characterizing the film's subversion of traditional gender expectations.

Film-making Technique
Though relatively minimalist, the film's black-and-white cinematography provides a considerable depth, contributing to the stark atmosphere that matches the characters' psychological intensity. The lack of dialogue in the movie does not eliminate from the richness of interaction communicated through simple gestures and actions. Intentionally structured as a silent film, the visual story of "Alice & Viril" efficiently provokes the audience's thoughts and analyses around the themes of gender functions and power dynamics.

Conclusion
In conclusion, "Alice & Viril" is a symbolically packed, delicate, yet insightful representation of societal stereotypes about gender and the impression of power and dominance connected with it. The movie skillfully disrupts traditional standards, leaving the audiences to ponder the deeply established societal ideas. Regardless of its simple length of 3 minutes, François Ozon's creative and succinct storytelling masterfully resolves complicated themes in an unconventional manner, making the movie a considerable transitional piece in the awareness of gender roles and power characteristics. The suggestive silence made use of as the primary storytelling gadget in "Alice & Viril" raises the film's effect, encouraging viewers to examine their understanding of gender standards critically.

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