Coup De Jarnac

When I was in middle school, there used to be fights all over my school at any given time. It could be after lunch, third period, during study hall, you name it. If there was a hallway or open area available, you could catch teenagers going at it surrounded by a pool of students with their phones out as if it were a multi-camera production. I never really had any interest in watching these fights, nor was I able to fathom what would cause them to resort to physical violence, as that was something I never participated in. It wasn’t until I heard the gossip around as to why some of these fights were happening in the first place that the cynic in me started to get a kick out of them. “He called his Jordans fake? This girl said that other girl's boobs are too big? These two guys had a crush on the same person?” Students would lose social status over these claims and try to restore their honor through fights. As a person who is generally unresponsive toward the spoils of insults and their social ramifications, this was such an alien topic to me. Kids were out here fighting for their social hierarchy while I was viewing it as this foreign game with its own established culture and rules.

The funny thing is though, we were always like this. A topic I find extremely interesting, dueling, or mutual combat, is triggered when an insult or action disrespects a nobleman’s honor. Therefore, a duel is put into place to restore that honor. But these duels are life and death matters, so what are these vile insults? They were nothing more than misconducts such as informal greetings, sly insults, love triangles, rumor spreading, and accusations. Sound familiar? They were serious matters in a way, but nothing that warranted death. Either failing to challenge a person who has disrespected your honor or declining a duel could lower your social status. Back then that meant no job, spouse, or high-ranking position. The ethos and the conventions surrounding these duels reminded me of how I perceived those school fights in my head.

Coup De Jarnac explores a modern world where mutual combat hasn’t been outlawed and is a darkly comedic look at the concept of honor, pettiness, and how rumors can affect a person. This world is a combination of old and new, both visually and thematically. Combining modern, questionable characters with an outdated activity obsessed with gentility. Duels in film are often perceived as this mythical showdown between these two opposing forces, which they can be. But being someone who enjoys poking fun at social constructs hopefully gives me a unique view of the world that I can entertain people with through the beautiful medium that is film.