A collage of dreams. Garrel made a name for himself with this film as a new Jean Vigo. With Nico (Velvet Underground).
A poetic and painterly film that has been described as ‘a collage of dreams’. The film was shot without a script, but Garrel had already thought up the eventual title (‘the scar inside’). This title was an obsession for him, every shot had to be an expression of ‘the scar inside’. Apart from Garrel himself and actor Pierre Clémenti, Garrel’s former partner Nico, member of the legendary Velvet Underground, played a role in the film. Another important role was for the landscape. Garrel, 23 when he made the film, was compared with Jean Vigo because of his age and talent. La cicatrice intérieure even led Claude Mauriac to call him the Rimbaud of film. –IFFR
Philippe Garrel is a French director, cinematographer, screenwriter, editor and producer. His movies have won him awards at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival and Venice Film Festival. He was born in Paris in 1948, the son of actor Maurice Garrel. He started his film career early directing and writing his first film Lés Enfants Désaccordés in 1964. Garrel met Nico in 1969 when she performed the song “The Falconer” for his film Le Lit de la Vierge and the couple were soon living together. Nico first appeared in the 1972 film La Cicatrice Intériure (aka the Inner Scar). Songs included in the film appear on Nico’s album Desertshore, which features stills from the film on the front and back covers. Nico appeared in a number of Garrel’s films after this. Their ten year relationship ended in 1979.
Prix Jean Vigo for the film L’Enfant Secret. He won Perspectives du Cinéma Award at the Cannes Film Festival in 1984 for his 1983 film la Nuit Liberté. Over a ten year period, Garrel enjoyed… read more
Thanks to seeing Nico Icon at a young age, whenever I read something where this film is referenced, the voice in my head always changes to Nico's deep, German, echoing voice as my eyes run across "Zeee Innnuhhh Ssscaaaar."