Ventre di squalo, ventre di Parigi. "Under Paris" di Xavier Gens

This article aims to provide an ecocritical analysis of Xavier Gens’ film Sous la Seine (2024), structured along three distinct hermeneutic lines. Firstly, it will examine the representation of the predatory animal (in this case, the shark) by comparing it with other audiovisual narratives (notably Steven Spielberg’s Jaws), highlighting both similarities and deviations from this established model. Secondly, the analysis will address the depiction of eco-anxiety (“solastalgia”), exploring how the film conveys a deeper ecological tension, notably through its advocacy for planetary conservation. Finally, the article will investigate the concept of agency underpinning the entire film, as it portrays the consequences of water contamination by microplastics, thereby becoming an authentic narrative of pollution