Les adieux à la Reine

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Versailles in July 1789. There’s growing disquiet at the court of King Louis XVI: the people are defiant and the country is on the brink of revolution. Behind the scenes at the royal palaces emergency plans are being made. Although nobody believes that this spells the end of the established order everyone is talking of escape, including Queen Marie Antoinette and her entourage. One of Marie Antoinette’s ladies- in-waiting is Sidonie Laborde who, as the Queen’s reader, is a member of the monarch’s inner circle. Concerned that her escape might fail, the queen gives instructions for the girl to step into her carriage dressed in the queen’s clothes while the queen herself is to escape from the palace unseen at night. At first Sidonie is proud to have such an honour bestowed upon her – but she soon realises that her mis- tress’ request has nothing to do with her affection for her.
Based on Chantal Thomas’ award-winning novel of the same name, Benoït Jacquot’s film portrays the early days of the French Revolution as seen through the eyes of the servants at Versailles. An historical drama with ironic overtones that also draws parallels to the present.

details

  • Runtime

    100 min
  • Country

    France, Spain
  • Year of Presentation

    2012
  • Year of Production

    2011
  • Director

    Benoït Jacquot
  • Cast

    Diane Kruger, Léa Seydoux, Virginie Ledoyen, Xavier Beauvois, Noémie Lvovsky, Michel Robin, Julie-Marie Parmentier, Lolita Chammah, Marthe Caufman, Vladimir Consigny
  • Production Company

    GMT Productions
  • Berlinale Section

    Competition
  • Berlinale Category

    Feature Film

Biography Benoït Jacquot

Born in Paris in 1947, he began his career as an assistant director before making his directorial debut in 1975 with L’ASSASSIN MUSICIEN. He has often worked with Isabelle Huppert, Sandrine Kiberlain and Virginie Ledoyen and has also made a name for himself with his television dramas and documentaries. He attended the Berlinale’s Panorama section in 1996 with LA FILLE SEULE and in 2004 he directed Massenet’s opera Wertherat the Royal Opera House in London.

Filmography Benoït Jacquot

1976 L'assassin musicien | 1977 Die verschworenen Kinder | 1981 Die Flügel der Taube | 1986 Corps et biens | 1987 Les mendiants | 1990 Die Entzauberte | 1995 La fille seule | 1997 Der siebte Himmel | 1997 Marianne | 1998 Schule des Begehrens | 1999 Nur kein Skandal! | 2000 La fausse suivante | 2004 Hier und jetzt | 2009 Villa Amalia | 2010 Tief in den Wäldern | 2012 Leb wohl, meine Königin! | 2014 3 Herzen | 2015 Journal d'une femme de chambre | 2016 À jamais | 2019 Dernier amour | 2021 Suzanna Andler