For Her First Documentary, Barban-dangerfield Chose a Dreamlike Approach to Film Them, As If Suspended in Time, Even Making a Few in France

In her debut documentary "Vegapolis, airing on France.tv, director Micha Barban-Dangerfield follows a group of teenagers aged 15 to 18 who treat their passion for ice skating as a last bastion before the "real life. The film is set in Vegapolis, a mega ice rink built in 2000 on the outskirts of Montpellier, France, known for its fun atmosphere with fluorescent neon lights, hidden tunnels, and slopes. The rink serves as a refuge for the city's teens, where Morgane, Nao, Jules, and Myriem gather "in friend mode" with their whole crew to escape their worries and the harsh light of their daily lives.

For her first documentary, Barban-Dangerfield chose a dreamlike approach to film them, as if suspended in time, even making a few fictionalized incursions to better convey the unreality of these shared moments where everything still seems possible. Yet, without daring to admit it to themselves, they already know their future is less open than they hoped. They have known each other for three years and have been working on their lutzes and axels at the club, three years of falling down together while laughing.

When you are between 15 and 18, three years is the end of the world. And beyond that, what is there? They sometimes move forward like tightrope walkers, as if they risked falling to the other side.

"Three years ago, nobody lived with the rink. Why can't we do without going there anymore? Morgane asks. Myriem responds, "Because we've created a family!