Eye For Film >> Movies >> The Body Of The King (2024) Film Review
In The Body of the King (2024), directed by Bianca Sescu and Emy Rodrigues, two teenagers explore an empty church on a sweltering summer day. The events of that day mirror the fragile state of one of the boys, who is battling a serious illness, prompting a quiet meditation on the frailty of all things.
The short opens with two boys skateboarding in front of a church. Overcome by the heat, they wander inside the sacred space. Simon (Antoine Dufour) and Micah (Jules Gauzelin) play pranks on each other, as teenagers do, mischief that soon gives way to confessions and trouble.
Set in the French countryside, the film captures a world where it seems only Simon and Micah dare to brave the scorching outdoors. Their playful dynamic gradually reveals hidden truths about one another, the illusion of freedom, and their differing views on life. As they roam through the church, Micah begins to grasp the extent of Simon’s illness and struggles with the fear that his friend’s condition may be more serious than he imagined. Youthful rebellion is vividly embodied in their gestures as one smokes inside the church while the other toys with lit candles. Around them hangs an air of fading innocence as they confront vulnerability, sexual awakening, and mortality.
The spirit of the film recalls coming-of-age classics like Stand by Me (1986), which likewise explores death, friendship and the loss of innocence. The film’s striking visuals are steeped in metaphor, mirrored by its title: The Body of the King evokes the body of Christ – human, mortal, and suffering, like Simon himself. The church setting and its imagery deepen this parallel.
Screened at the Odense International Film Festival and the Cinema Paradiso International Short Film Festival, The Body Of The King is a tender, haunting study of boyhood and the quiet fractures beneath all things.
Reviewed on: 01 Nov 2025
