Le monde à l'envers

1998

Rolando Colla made his directorial debut with this Swiss-French-Italian period drama about a Breton woman who disguises herself as a man to join a ship's crew during the 18th century. Rebellious 24-year-old Anne Bruneau is abandoned at the altar by her fiancé Yann. Unaware that Yann was drunk and fell down a well, Anne reacts to his absence by cutting her hair, dressing like a man, and signing on with a ship captained by a dwarf. When Yann learns what happened, he begins running south to Marseilles to rejoin her. Aboard the ship, Anne's disguise is discovered by the captain and the ship's doctor. With an Arab, she jumps ship, hiding with hookers in Marseilles while still maintaining her disguise.