The Sentiment of the Flesh

First-time director Roberto Garzelli charts the strange relationship that develops between a medical illustration student and a radiologist, as Italian immigrant Héléna (Annabelle Hettman) meets Benoît (Thibault Vinçon), a doctor who teaches at the same French medical school where she's studying. When Héléna starts to experience back pain she seeks Benoît's advice and requests an X-ray, but is disappointed when nothing is discovered. After prodding, however, Benoît admits he's found a minor anomaly in her anatomy, which pleases Héléna, presumably because it confirms that she's inherently unique. The pair wind up in a sexual relationship that plays out in cars, beds, and showers; but Héléna believes Benoît can't really love her unless he knows her internally, so she encourages him to conduct an MRI over her entire body with contrasting dye, an ethically dubious (and dangerous) proposition. Eventually, Benoît breaks up with her when things become too intense and the lines between eroticism and danger blur; but he can't stop thinking about her. By the time the couple meet again, his behavior is more erratic than hers, so she comes up with a plan that allows him to see her in a new—literally anatomic—light. While the offbeat conclusion doesn't quite satisfy, this is a strong optional purchase for more adventurous viewers. (K. Fennessy)