In the aftermath of a young woman’s bloody murder in Paris—her identity shrouded in mystery—detective Jules Maigret begins to unravel the strange details surrounding her life and death. In this elegant adaptation of Georges Simenon’s Maigret et la Jeune Morte, Gérard Depardieu inhabits the broad, world-weary frame of the eponymous detective, pairing his natural charisma with a melancholic edge that perfectly captures Maigret’s character. With a brooding, compassionate air, Maigret follows a trail of clues and forgotten details of the unassuming, anonymous victim, searching for her identity and humanity with a compassionate grace, in sharp contrast to the seeming indifference of those around him. Writer/director Patrice Leconte situates the tale in a 1953 Paris still recovering from WWII, contrasting a dark, sombre atmosphere of everyday people in the city with the sparkling opulence of glamorous socialites and aristocrats, crafting a thoughtful—yet thrilling—spin on the classic detective story.
Supported by
Patrice Leconte
Gérard Depardieu, Jade Labeste, Mélanie Bernier, Aurore Clément, André Wilms, Hervé Pierre
France/Belgium
2022
In French with English subtitles
Book Tickets
Missing VIFF? Check out what's playing at the VIFF Centre
Montreal, ma belle
In this Valentine to discovering love later in life, the ever-elegant Joan Chen plays Feng Xia, a 53-year-old Chinese immigrant and mother in Montreal whose world is turned upside down when she meets and falls in love with a young Quebecoise.
A Magnificent Life
Animator Sylvain Chomet (The Triplets of Belleville; The Illusionist) crafts a loving biopic of the revered French writer, playwright and filmmaker Marcel Pagnol (Jean de Florette; My Father's Glory)
The Eyes of Ghana
In his debut feature doc Ben Proudfoot unearths the story — and the images — of Chris Hesse, personal cameraman to Ghana's revolutionary leader, Kwame Nkrumah, who was deposed in a coup in 1966. This is a fascinating history reclaimed from the archives.
Mr. Nobody Against Putin
Nominated for the Academy Award for Best Documentary, and Special Jury Prize Winner, Sundance, 2025, this exposé shot by a Russian primary teacher shows how the Putin propaganda machine works to militarize children.
Credits
Producer
Jean-Louis Livi
Screenwriter
Jérôme Tonnerre, Patrice Leconte
Cinematography
Yves Angelo
Editor
Joëlle Hache
Production Design
Loïc Chavanon
Original Music
Bruno Coulais