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
Departures
Two lads meet at an airport gate and begin monthly trips to Amsterdam together. Their chemistry is off the charts, but it's Jake who's calls the shots while Benji is the one who's emotionally invested. Comparisons to Pillion and Trainspotting are on mark.
The Richest Woman in the World
Isabelle Huppert plays cosmetics CEO Marianne in this teasingly ambivalent satire inspired by the Bettancourt Affair, when L'Oreal heir Francoise Bettancourt scandalized France by frittering away her fortune on a notorious celebrity photographer.
Credits
Producer
Jean-Louis Livi
Screenwriter
Jérôme Tonnerre, Patrice Leconte
Cinematography
Yves Angelo
Editor
Joëlle Hache
Production Design
Loïc Chavanon
Original Music
Bruno Coulais