Gaspard de Chavagnac Movies

Neophyte director Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt's French-language romantic comedy Odette Toulemonde concerns the unlikeliest of relationships that develops between two Parisians. The title character (Catherine Frot) is a forty-year-old saleswoman, saddled with two children (an adolescent daughter and a hairdresser son), who spends her days hawking cosmetics from behind the counter of a Parisian department store. Odette has absolutely no reason to feel limitless joy or to retain a bright, positive outlook on life, but experiences both - thanks in no small part to the novels of her favorite author, Balthazar Balsan (Albert Dupontel). Meanwhile, Balsan ostensibly has everything - money, fame, success - and yet feels unbridled emptiness inside. These two lives suddenly intersect and complement each other in fantastic and unexpected ways. Nicolas Buysse, Jacques Weber, Nina Drecq and Fabrice Murgia co-star; Schmitt authored the original script. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide

Gabriel Aghion directs this bawdy period romp about a day in the life of 18th century philosopher and sensualist Denis Diderot (Vincent Perez), who produced the first ever encyclopedia while living a life of delicious decadence. Though the Church immediately banned Diderot's opus, which they deemed to be a compendium of forbidden knowledge, copies continued to circulate. Diderot, along with his wife (Francoise Lepine) and daughter, are staying in the country estate of the Baron and Baroness d'Holbach -- who put a pair of illegal printing presses and a legion of typesetters in a chamber beneath the family altar. At the same time that the Church sends a grumpy Cardinal (Michel Serrault) to ferret out the clandestine press, comely Madame Therbouche (Fanny Ardant) shows up to paint Diderot's portrait. While Diderot occupies himself with his artist friend, the Baroness keeps the Cardinal occupied with her laundry list of sordid confessions. Naughty fun soon ensues. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide

The gloom-laden Canadian/French Double Identity stars Nick Mancuso as a sedate college professor residing in the small university town of New Hope. Not given to talking about himself much, Mancuso's past is a mystery to his friends, colleagues, and new lady friend Leah Pinsent. The film's noir-ish title is the tip-off that once Mancuso's previous life comes to the forefront, it will be no picnic. In fact, it's a killer. Filmed in 1989, Double Identity was released in 1991; director Yves Boisset remains on target while dealing with the film's "present", less so when he indulges in confusing flashbacks. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide