Best From France

This film profile of the French painter Edouard Manet (1832-1883) was shot on location at the Musee d'Orsay, the home of French 19th century art; in Spain, to evoke the landscape and culture which so influenced Manet's early work; and around Paris, where in the bars, cafes, salons and theatres the atmosphere of the society in which Manet lived can still be captured. Didier Baussy's film forms a comprehensive study and yet also explores the complex and often contradictory spirit of Manet's paintings.