''Actrices'' (''Actresses'') is a French

comedy-drama film Comedy drama (also known by the portmanteau dramedy) is a hybrid genre of works that combine elements of comedy and drama. In film, as well as scripted television series, serious dramatic subjects (such as death, illness, betrayal, grief, etc. ...

directed by

Valeria Bruni Tedeschi Valeria Carla Federica Bruni Tedeschi, also written Bruni-Tedeschi (; born 16 November 1964), is an Italian and French actress, screenwriter and film director. Her 2013 film, '' A Castle in Italy,'' was nominated for the Palme d'Or at the 2013 C ...

, released in 2007. The film was presented in the official selection at the 60th

Cannes Film Festival The Cannes Film Festival (; ), until 2003 called the International Film Festival ('), is the most prestigious film festival in the world. Held in Cannes, France, it previews new films of all genres, including documentaries, from all around ...

and won a ''Prix Spécial du Jury'' in the

Un Certain Regard (; 'A Certain Glance') is a section of the Cannes Film Festival's official selection. It is run at the Debussy, parallel to the competition for the . This section was introduced in 1978 by Gilles Jacob. The section presents 20 films with unusua ...

section.

Plot

Marcelline is a chagrined actress, haunted by ''Natalia Petrovna'', the heroine of the

Turgenev Ivan Sergeyevich Turgenev ( ; rus, links=no, Иван Сергеевич ТургеневIn Turgenev's day, his name was written ., p=ɪˈvan sʲɪrˈɡʲe(j)ɪvʲɪtɕ tʊrˈɡʲenʲɪf; – ) was a Russian novelist, short story writer, poe ...

play '' A Month in the Country'', that she is rehearsing. Trying to escape her fears she visits the swimming pool. While she is swimming she listens to

Glenn Miller Alton Glen "Glenn" Miller (March 1, 1904 – December 15, 1944) was an American big band conductor, arranger, composer, trombonist, and recording artist before and during World War II, when he was an officer in the United States Army Air Forces ...

. At the age of 40 she is unmarried and lives only for her work at the theatre. When she learns she will probably never have children, this heightens her anguish. She tries to communicate with those around her - living or dead: the

Virgin Mary Mary was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Saint Joseph, Joseph and the mother of Jesus. She is an important figure of Christianity, venerated under titles of Mary, mother of Jesus, various titles such as Perpetual virginity ...

, the protecting ghost of her father seated on the family sofa, the mischievous phantom of her lover perched in a tree. She laughs and cries in turn, a nothing perturbs her, a look from her mother, or simply a kiss from the young lead in the play she is acting in.

Cast

as Marcelline *

Noémie Lvovsky Noémie Lvovsky (; born 14 December 1964) is a French film director, screenwriter, and actress. She is best known for directing ''Camille Rewinds and Life Doesn't Scare Me,'' and for her roles in ''My Wife Is an Actress, House of Tolerance, Sum ...

as Nathalie *

Louis Garrel Louis Garrel (born 14 June 1983) is a French actor and filmmaker. He is best known for his starring role in ''The Dreamers (2003 film), The Dreamers'', directed by Bernardo Bertolucci.

as Éric *

Mathieu Amalric Mathieu Amalric (; born 25 October 1965) is a French actor and filmmaker. He has won several César Awards and the Lumière Awards. He is best known internationally for his roles in the James Bond film '' Quantum of Solace'', in which he pla ...

as Denis *

Valeria Golino Valeria Golino (born 22 October 1965) is an Italian actress and film director. She is best known to English-language audiences for her roles in '' Rain Man'', '' Big Top Pee-wee'', and '' Hot Shots!'', where she performed the "olive-in-the-belly ...

as Nathalia Petrovna * Marisa Borini as The mother *

Maurice Garrel Maurice Garrel (24 February 1923 – 4 June 2011) was a French film actor. Garrel was born in Saint-Servais, Isère. He appeared in over a hundred films and was nominated twice for a César Award for best supporting actor: in 1991 for ''La ...

as The father * Simona Marchini as The aunt * Bernard Nissille as Jean-Paul *

Olivier Rabourdin Olivier Rabourdin (born 3 March 1959) is a French film actor. He has appeared in more than seventy films since 1985. In 2010, he was nominated for a César Award Cesar or César may refer to: Arts and entertainment * César (film), ''César ...

as Marc * Laetitia Spigarelli as Juliett * Gilles Cohen as Jean-Luc *

Marie Rivière Marie Rivière (; born 22 December 1956) is a French actress and filmmaker. She is known for her collaborations with director Éric Rohmer. From a working-class background, Marie Rivière grew up on a housing estate/project in Montreuil before ...

as The tailoress * Eric Elmosnino as Raymond *

Robinson Stévenin Robinson Stévenin (born 1 March 1981) is a French actor. Personal life Robinson's father is the actor Jean-François Stévenin Jean-François Stévenin (; 23 April 194427 July 2021) was a French actor and filmmaker. He appeared in 150 fil ...

as Julien * Laurent Grévill as Arthur * Pascal Bongard as The priest

References

External links

* 2007 films Films directed by Valeria Bruni Tedeschi French comedy-drama films 2007 comedy-drama films 2000s French-language films 2000s French films Films produced by Olivier Delbosc Films produced by Marc Missonnier {{2000s-France-film-stub