The Widow of Saint-Pierre (film)

Infobox Film
name = The Widow of Saint-Pierre


caption = ©Pathé 2000
director = Patrice Leconte
producer = Frédéric Brillion,
Gilles Legrand,
Daniel Louis,
Denise Robert
writer = Claude Farraldo, Patrice Leconte
narrator =
starring = Juliette Binoche,
Daniel Auteuil,
Emir Kusturica
music = Pascal Esteve
cinematography = Eduardo Serra
editing = Joëlle Hache
distributor = Pathé - France
Film Four - UK
Lions Gate Films - USA
released = 2000
runtime = 120 minutes
country = France / Canada
language = French
budget =
preceded_by =
followed_by =
website =http://www.pathedistribution.com/accueil/filmcatalogue.php?IDFilm=575
amg_id =
imdb_id = 0191636

"The Widow of Saint-Pierre" ("La Veuve de Saint Pierre") is a 2000 film by Patrice Leconte with Juliette Binoche, Daniel Auteuil and Emir Kusturica. The film made its North American debut at the 2000 Toronto Film Festival where it won the Audience Award. It was nominated for a Golden Globe Award in 2001 for Best Foreign Language Film. The film was also nominated in 2001 for two César Awards.

Plot Summary

In 1850, on the isolated French island of Saint-Pierre, a murder shocks the natives. Two fishermen are arrested. One of them, Louis Ollivier, dies in custody. The other, Neel Auguste (Emir Kusturica), is sentenced to death by the guillotine. However the island is so small that it has neither a guillotine nor an executioner. While one is sent for, Auguste is placed under the supervision of army Captain (Daniel Auteuil).

While Auguste is under the captain's care, the wife of the island's police chief, Madame La, (played by Juliette Binoche) takes an interest in the convict and begins to try to redeem him. Under her auspices, Auguste works hard and carries out a number of good deeds for the good of the community. The locals begin to see that he has changed, and Madame La begins a campaign to stop him from being executed.

When the guillotine and executioner finally arrive on the island, Madame La fights the establishment and the law to save Auguste. Her struggle carries possible consequences for her husband, the police chief.

Awards & Nominations

César Awards 2001

* Nominated for Best Actress - Juliette Binoche
* Nominated for Best Supporting Actor - Emir Kusturica

Golden Globe Awards 2001

* Nominated for Best Foreign Language Film

ant Jordi Awards 2001

* Winner Best Foreign Actor - Daniel Auteuil

Moscow International Film Festival

* Winner Russian Film Critics Award - Best Film
* Nominated for Golden Saint George Award

Jutra Awards 2001

* Nominated for Best Art direction

Toronto Film Festival 2000

* Audience Award for Best Film

Title Clarification

The French title "La Veuve de Saint-Pierre" contains an ironic pun. "Veuve" translates to "Widow". In the 1800s the word was also slang for a guillotine. [http://www.popmatters.com/pm/reviews/article/38724/widow-of-st-pierre]

References

Reflist [http://www.popmatters.com/pm/reviews/article/38724/widow-of-st-pierre] Popmatters

External links

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