France,
2000, 112 min
Directed by:
Agnès JaouiCinematography:
Laurent DaillandCast:
Anne Alvaro, Jean-Pierre Bacri, Alain Chabat, Agnès Jaoui, Gérard Lanvin, Wladimir Yordanoff, Brigitte Catillon, Sam Karmann, Réginald Huguenin (more)Plots(1)
Jean-Jacques Castella is a successful suburban businessman, painfully aware of his inability to keep up with the fast changing times. He has no appreciation of the arts, until his wife Angelique drags him to a moving performance of Racine's Berenice. Much to his surprise, he is overwhelmed by the power and beauty of the lead actress, Clara Devaux, who plays the Queen. He becomes so infatuated with her that he goes back to the play every night. Finally, these two polar opposites are forced together when Castella reluctantly tries to learn English for an important business deal and his English teacher turns out to be Clara. (official distributor synopsis)
(more)Awards
- Winner
- Nominations
Academy Awards
- 2001 - Agnès Jaoui (Best Foreign Language Film)
British Independent Film Awards (BIFA)
- 2001 - Best Foreign Independent - Foreign Language
European Film Awards
- 2000 - Agnès Jaoui, Jean-Pierre Bacri (Best Screenwriter)
- 2000 - Agnès Jaoui (Best Film)
- 2000 - Agnès Jaoui (European Discovery)
César Awards
- 2001 - Best Film
- 2001 - Gérard Lanvin (Best Supporting Actor)
- 2001 - Anne Alvaro (Best Supporting Actress)
- 2001 - Agnès Jaoui, Jean-Pierre Bacri (Best Screenplay, Original or Adaptation)
- 2001 - Agnès Jaoui (Best Director)
- 2001 - Jean-Pierre Bacri (Best Actor)
- 2001 - Alain Chabat (Best Supporting Actor)
- 2001 - Agnès Jaoui (Best Supporting Actress)
- 2001 - Best Editing
Guldbagge Awards
- 2001 - Agnès Jaoui (Best Foreign Film)
Montreal World Film Festival
- 2000 - Agnès Jaoui (Grand Prize)