Jeannick Gravelines Movies

Fabienne Berthaud's gentle psychodrama Frankie probes the events that led to emotional crisis, mental breakdown, and psychiatric hospitalization for a fashion model. Nearing the age of 30, the titular ex-cover girl (Diane Krüger) is neither particularly young nor thin. She instead resides in an asylum in Blois, France, drugged out and in a semi-catatonic state. In flashback, Berthaud dramatizes the events that led to this predicament. Once active before the cameras and highly sought-after by agents, Frankie experienced a series of minor calamities including an on-set fight with a fashion photographer and the experience of accidentally hearing agents make disparaging remarks about her appearance, that collectively propelled her over the edge. Amid this world of grotesque artifice, the one bright spot seemed to be her ere-evolving friendship with the kindly driver of the modeling agency. Now, Frankie contents herself with institutional life and resists the thought of leaving and returning to the scabrousness of the real world. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi

In this controversial French drama, Loic (Jeannick Gravelines) is a photographer who is trying to leave his working-class background behind and make a name for himself as an artist. Loic's best friend Tony (Emmanuel Nicolas) has become involved with both hard drugs and Loic's former girlfriend Virginie (Karole Rocher), while man-about-town Vincent (Nils Tavernier), who has plenty of connections in the art community, has developed a keen interest in Loic's sister Sophie (Emma de Caunes). However, Loic and Sophie are very close -- perhaps closer than a brother and sister should be -- and Loic is not comfortable with Vincent's obviously sexual interest in her. Emma de Caunes' performance in Un Frere earned her a Cesar Award (the French Oscar) as Most Promising Actress of 1997. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi