Two People Exchanging Saliva

Expect a tense, atmospheric, and conceptually driven drama. The tone is likely bleak and satirical, finding absurdity in its grim rules. Performances will be central, focusing on subtle glances and repressed emotions in a world where expression is deadly. It's not a light watch; it's a film that uses its strange premise to create palpable dread and a yearning for tenderness, making the moments of connection feel both fragile and revolutionary.

The provided context does not include the director's name. This is unusual for a film with such a notable cast and a scheduled release. It may indicate an emerging filmmaker, a collaborative project, or a deliberate marketing choice to focus on the premise and performers initially. For Australian audiences, this adds an element of mystery, suggesting the film's vision might be a bold, collective or anonymously shepherded endeavour.

The film uses its high-concept world to probe themes of desire, repression, and systemic control. The prohibition on kissing speaks to the policing of intimacy and personal freedom, while the slap-based economy critiques transactional societal structures and normalized violence. At its heart, it appears to be a story about finding humanity and connection in a dehumanising system, exploring how rebellion can be quiet, personal, and profoundly dangerous.

The central relationship is between two women, Angine and a salesgirl, who form a close, forbidden bond in a world that outlawes physical affection. The narrative explicitly frames their connection as a transgressive act against a repressive state, with a jealous colleague heightening the tension. While the film's primary lens is dystopian satire, the core dynamic is undoubtedly a romantic and intimate one, exploring desire and rebellion through a queer perspective.

While specific details are scarce, the concept of paying with slaps is a potent metaphor likely woven throughout the narrative. It physically manifests a society built on transactional violence and humiliation, where every purchase reinforces degradation. This isn't just background lore; it directly informs the characters' lived experience, contrasting the cold brutality of daily life with the tender, illegal intimacy they seek. The slap economy underscores the film's exploration of how systems control bodies and emotions.

The cast is a compelling ensemble of acclaimed international talent. Zar Amir Ebrahimi, a Cannes Best Actress winner, likely brings a profound intensity to the lead role of Angine. Luàna Bajrami, known for her subtle and powerful performances, plays the enigmatic salesgirl. They are joined by the formidable Vicky Krieps and others like Aurélie Boquien and Nicolas Bouchaud. This gathering suggests a film prioritising nuanced, actor-driven drama within its high-concept setting.

The film presents a dystopian society built on two bizarre, oppressive systems: kissing is a capital offence, and commerce is conducted via slaps to the face. Within this stark world, we follow Angine, a profoundly unhappy woman who finds a strange solace in compulsive shopping. Her life shifts when she becomes captivated by a playful salesgirl in a department store, setting the stage for a dangerous, forbidden connection that defies the brutal social order.