Potiche (Potiche)
World Panorama
François Ozon / Feature Narrative / France, Belgium / 2010 / 103 min / Color / 35 mm
In French / English, Arabic subtitles
Interests: Comedy
Qatar Premiere
Synopsis
Acclaimed writer/director François Ozon delivers a hilarious screwball comedy with ''Potiche'', a charming, candy-colored farce sure to be a crowd-pleaser. Set during 1977 in northern France, Catherine Deneuve plays Suzanne, the wife of an umbrella factory executive (portrayed by scene-stealing Fabrice Luchini). When her husband is taken hostage during a worker's strike, Suzanne takes control of the factory and enlists her ex-lover, the communist Babin (a perfectly cast Gérard Depardieu), to help stop the work action. After her husband is freed, things really get complicated. Deneuve is in top-form here, effortlessly transforming Suzanne from a potiche (a decorative trophy wife) into a strong-willed businesswoman. Ozon's adaptation of a stage play gives each of the actors ample room to show the complexities of their characters, and he also has a ball playing with the 1970's palette, draping the sets, costumes and hairstyles in a humorous yet realistic manner that only adds to the fun in this joyous romp.
About the Directors
Francois Ozon
Born in Paris, Ozon studied at the French film school La Femis. He made several short films before directing "8 femmes", starring cinema icons Catherine Deneuve and Isabelle Huppert. The film became a hit, and he went on to direct "Swimming Pool", "5x2" and "Angel", among others, with his witty themes generally taking a wild view of sexual morality.
Credits
- Director
- François Ozon
- Screenwriter
- François Ozon, based on the play by Pierre Barillet, Jean-Pierre Gredy
- Producer
- Eric Altmeyer, Nicolas Altmeyer
- Editor
- Laure Gardett
- Director of Photography
- Yorick Le Saux
- Production Designer
- Katia Wyszkop
- Executive Producer
- Eric Altmayer, Nicolas Altmayer
- Composer
- Philippe Rombi
- Cinematographer
- Yorck Le Saux
- Cast
- Gérard Depardieu, Catherine Deneuve, Jérémie Régnier, Judith Godrèche, Karin Viard, Fabrice Luchini