In a vacant theater, a young woman speaks directly to the camera. She mentions her relation with the media after an affair she has had with the president. Her name is Amanda, and she is the fictional double of Monica Lewinsky.

Proceeding our reflection on the image of the United States of America, we have taken up a character from our “Unexpected Rules“ project (2004) and have imagined a new chapter in her development. Departing from given facts, we created a filmic scène focussing on ambivalences.

Amanda’s monologue:

Everybody knows that I did it.
Everybody does it, without saying anything.
I would have liked to do it in another way, not to be in this position.
At least if I had beaten him up to a pulp, if I had had the whip hand over him.
I would have known why I had to apologize.

All I want now is to go back to my country.
I want to become a singer there. (in portuguese)
I want to dance all night, I want to drink till I drop dead. (in english)
I want people to love me for the fact that I’m able to do things.
But I can’t think of it at the moment.

I’m here for the reason which made me famous.
Do I have to say it again ?
I was never a bad person. I made some mistakes, but I just needed to mature.
Do you want to hear it again ?
There was this charismatic, powerful man who was standing there showing interest in me. I thought, Ok… whatever. You know, I‘m young, it‘s the president, he‘s cute. It‘s kinda cool. Irresponsible, but cool.

Time flies. Commenting on my birthday, a chronicler said, Amanda is thirty today. It seemed like just yesterday she was crawling around on the floor in the Oval Office. It made people laugh. I get one other male joke : Dont’ feel sorry about Amanda, she‘ll be back on her knees in no time.

Time flies. I hosted a TV show, I became obese, began a career as designer. Then I met God, then I lost weight. An instructor told me : There are ten curtains dimming the light of intelligence burning inside of us. Everything that happens in our lives, happens for a reason.

As America’s premier blowjob queen of the nineties, I was such a brave girl. I shared details that I wouldn’t have shared with anybody. Because I thought I had to. Like now, when the reporters ask me : Is your goal to get married and have children ? Does the man of your dreams have to be competitive, due to the fact that you and the president… ? Could it be just a schoolteacher or a carpenter? Taking a traditional job would just never work for you, right ? Do you see yourself as a housewife someday ?

For years I’m being saving men’s faces. I should leave the stage now, right ? I always anticipate what people want from me. And I like to give them what they expect. But then, something goes wrong every time.