Best From France

  Read more

Hailed by critics as one of the finest films of the decade, this funny, humane and heartbreaking statement is the masterpiece of internationally acclaimed director Manoel de Oliveira. Successful theater actor Gilbert Valence (Contempt's Michel Piccoli) learns his wife, daughter and son-in-law have been killed in a car accident. Over time, his life regains a semblance of normalcy as he takes care of his orphaned grandson, strolls the streets of Paris, frequents his favorite cafe and returns to the stage. But when an American film director (Dangerous Liaisons' John Malkovich) casts him against type in an English-language production of James Joyce's Ulysses, Valence struggles to master the dialogue and his own emotions. Irresistible in its poignancy and charm, this radiant wonder also stars the legendary Catherine Deneuve (The Umbrellas of Cherbourg) and features stunning footage of the City of Lights itself. French artist