Film Review: The President’s Wife – Alliance Française French Film Festival – AFFFF2024

Alliance Française French Film Festival

From 5 March to 16 April, Australia-wide
(a subset of these dates in each city)
www.affrenchfilmfestival.org

It’s Alliance Française French Film Festival time again!

This marks the 35th year, and it’s going from strength to strength. In her last year, artistic director Karine Mauris has curated a fascinating and diverse selection of French films, from adventure and love to food, social justice, and historical dramas. And of course, some films direct from the Cannes Film Festival. Karin is going out on a high note!

Wonderful films, from the double blockbuster of ‘The Three Musketeers’ and the lavish period piece ‘Jeanne du Barry’ starring Johnny Depp who apparently sports an “acceptable” French accent, to the feel-good comedy romance ‘Iris and the Men’ starring the engaging Laure Calamy (‘Antoinette in the Cevennes’).

There are also plenty of stars, including:

• the ever-popular Catherine Deneuve in ‘The President’s Wife’ (review below),
• Juliette Binoche in the food-themed historical romance ‘The Taste of Things’,
• Fanny Ardant in ‘Mr Blake at Your Service’ (which also stars the incomparable John Malkovich),
• and the truly amazing Daniel Auteuil in the drama ‘A Silence’.

Karin believes that the immersive experience of watching films can’t be replicated at home; and is best viewed on a large screen in a cinema. We couldn’t agree more! And particularly in the case of the Alliance Française French Film Festival, it’s wonderful to see these films with like-minded people, bumping into old friends and new to discuss interesting and thought-provoking films, and of course, the French take on relationships, humour, and issues of the day.

The President’s Wife
Directed by documentarian Léa Domenach in her debut film.

Film legend Catherine Deneuve (reason enough to see this film) plays Bernadette Chirac, the wife of Jacques Chirac (great performance by Michel Vuillermoz), the former Paris mayor who became President of France from 1995 to 2007.

The film begins in 1995 when her husband is first elected as President, and she as first lady expected to be in the spotlight by his side. But Bernadette is seen as too old-fashioned, cold, and unapproachable and therefore a liability to Monsieur Chirac’s ongoing campaign to be re-elected.

But never underestimate a woman! Particularly one as crafty and savvy as she. Madame Chirac’s political instincts are spot on. She has successfully run for local elections and her dire predictions of some questionable strategies of her husband’s team are proven correct.

However, she is still being pushed aside. Not happy at being disrespected, Madame Chirac enlists the help of her chief of staff (Denis Podalydès), also underestimated, to make her own splash in the spotlight.

Karl Lagerfeld (Olivier Breitman in a stunning likeness) also makes an appearance. Madame Chirac wears his beautiful creations, however not wishing to be associated with ‘old fashioned’ he designs a new wardrobe for her.

The only issue for me was that this film is ‘based on actual events’. So what was real, and what was not? But this is just a minor issue in what is a marvellous movie.

How Madame Chirac’s plan to upstage her husband unfolds is smart, funny, and surprising. This is a film that sneaks up on you – much better than advertised!
https://www.affrenchfilmfestival.org/film/the-president-s-wife/ – AFFFF2024

Have you seen this film yet? Do you have your French Film Festival tickets yet?

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