Welcome to the 1980s. The first personal computer has just gone on the market, cellphones are still the size of encyclopedias, and the Rubik's cube is the height of youth entertainment. In Le Bal, director Jordan Blady takes us on a Soviet-era trip to Ukraine to experience a rather drab and austere family meal, before whisking us off to a vivacious ’80s pop party soundtracked by the nostalgic beats of Russian synth-rock band Forum.
“Le Bal is meant to explore fantasy and escapism without necessarily defining reality,” says Blady. The story itself is split in two, following what the director describes as an “Alice in Wonderland narrative” that shows two entirely contrasting worlds existing side-by-side.
The film was inspired by stylist Anton Belinskiy’s SS 2020 collection, which draws on traditional Ukrainian family values.
Shot on 16mm film
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