“Nothing happens by chance,” Suzanne (Anne Cosens), the keeper of a cabin in the Alps, tells her guest (Joan Zimmer). The pair will share the story of the journey that led them to the remote setting of Manon Kubia’s feature directorial debut, Forest High, which will premiere at Bernale.
Coincidentally, in an interview with Variety ahead of the Berlinale, the Belgian director used the exact same words to explain the path that led to this cinematic endeavor that brought together three women (Salome Richard, Aurélie Petit, and Cosens) who had chosen to withdraw from the public eye for a season as cabin keepers.
Through three stories connected by this hut, Kubia reveals three well-crafted characters. Each has a secret. And each of them is tested by their chosen solitude.
As Anne (Richard), Hélène (Petit), and Suzanne take turns guarding the cabin, hikers come and go, stories bloom and fade, and only silence, solitude, and solitude are left in the mix. A sentiment that resonated with both Anne Cosens and Salome Richard led them to collaborate on the Kubia project.
“As a woman, seeking solitude is already a political act,” stressed Richard, who collaborated with Kubia for the second time, after the short film Full Night premiered at Locarno in 2024. “In our European stories, only women are either old cat ladies or undesirable troublemakers. Being nobody’s daughter, nobody’s wife, nobody’s mother, an independent human being, was a very appealing character trait to me, and one that resonated with my own feelings.” ”
“Forest High” starring Ioan Zimmer and Anne Cosens
Provided by: blue raincoat
For Cosens, collaborating with Kubia was a new experience, but she was very excited from the beginning. Fascinated by, yet frightened by, solitude itself, she identified herself with the role of Suzanne, torn between romanticism and fear of loneliness. “I try to face this feeling often. Not being able to be alone can have devastating effects, because as humans we are essentially alone. But at the same time, without others, we basically die. It’s this tension that interested me in Suzanne, and I wanted to play with both as an actress and as a woman.”
Although “Forest High” questions one’s own desire for seclusion, the film itself is an example of how art can be created from a small environment by bringing together a close-knit community of humans. To produce her first feature, Kubia took advantage of one of Belgium’s unique funds: the Lighting Production Grant. Dedicated support for small-scale productions, the Light Production Grant (established in 2017 by the Walloon-Brussels Federation and considering up to €150,000, or $177,000 per feature film project), allows directors on a limited budget to explore new avenues of filmmaking and bring their own writing style to flexible, independent productions. Combined with France’s CNC’s “aide au parcours d’auteur” (a 20,000 euro ($24,000) fund for artists transitioning from one art form to another), Coubia assembled a small crew of eight people in a mountain hut to build a lightweight production. During filming, she herself was responsible for managing the hut for tourists and hikers.
“The time I spent there gave me a different relationship with the stage and more freedom,” Kubia added. “We had the luxury of time because there were no constraints or restrictions on this project. So Salome, Aurélie and Anne were able to spend long hours on set, each witnessing different weather conditions, different atmospheres, and creating their own connection to these mountains.”
According to Coesens, it was as if the team was not functioning at all and were always working simultaneously. At a slow, quiet, merciful pace, the line between reality and fiction blurred. The extremely fun and entertaining filming method allowed all three actresses to fully immerse themselves in the roles of these guardians, while also adding their own unique personalities and nuances to the character of Kubia.
“It became so intertwined that one morning I was sitting in the main room eating a bowl of cereal and Manon came in and said, ‘Okay, I’m going to shoot it,'” Richard said.
But at the same time, Kubia shot the entire project on film, leaving little room for retakes. Cosens emphasized that this particular choice had a huge impact on the cast, as the budget was very limited. “When you start shooting on film, there’s a special kind of tension that I haven’t felt in a long time. Suddenly all the energies come together in one purpose, and everything becomes more targeted. For us, there is an almost sacred quality to film, a special kind of magic, especially in timeless settings.”
If all three shared a special love for mountains, Kubia’s own relationship with the Alps began at a very young age. Born and raised next to these giants, she only learned later in life that her family had deep ties to these landscapes. “It was in these very mountains that one of my grandfathers joined the French Resistance, and for me his story is just one of many unique stories in this hut. In a sense, our three female guardians are also the keepers of these stories, preserving the memory of all those who came before and those who are slowly being forgotten today.”
Manon Kubia
Provided by: blue raincoat
Kubia, the fourth protagonist of this alpine tale, was declared extinct in the French Alps in 2000 due to human influence and habitat degradation. Besides the birds, “Forest High” is also a tribute to the people who still live in these valleys, making ends meet as best they can in a world that is slowly forgetting them and their way of life. Richard said: “We are not only protecting this refuge, we are also protecting this bygone world from oblivion, sharing its stories, caring for it and rekindling its flames.”
For a director who started his career as a documentary filmmaker and remains influenced by the medium, capturing these portraits and locations makes Forest High more than just a cinematic experience. “In a way, that’s what the title conveys. These forests are real, but almost mystical, the last of the merging of the vegetable and mineral worlds on the edge of reality. In these forests, the characters find solace, shelter, and thrills and exaltations that bring them closer to themselves and to these countless stories. It’s a warmth like no other.”
Forest High is co-produced by The Blue Raincoat and Aurora Films, with worldwide sales handled by Rai Cinema International Distribution.
