The President's Wife-Bernadette "Catherine Deneuve is hilarious." Caloundra Sun AM

The President's Wife-Bernadette film trailer HERE

DIRECTED BY:LÉA DOMENACH

STARRING:CATHERINE DENEUVE    DENIS PODALYDÈS   MICHEL VUILLERMO   SARA GIRAUDEAU  LAURENT STOCKER

COMEDY-BIOPIC

93 MINS / M

Legendary French actress Catherine Deneuve plays Bernadette Chirac in this very funny comedy-satire based on actual events.

It's 1995 and Jacques Chirac, pompous and a constant adulterer,  is elected President of the French Republic. When Bernadette Chirac steps into the Elysée, she's ready for the recognition she's earned, having tirelessly supported her husband's journey to the presidency. Instead, she finds herself set aside and brushed off as old-fashioned, cold and sour-tempered. She also has to put up with some public humiliations.

With the help of her chief of staff, Bernard Niquet, an excellent Denis Podalydès,  Bernadette embarks on a campaign to restore her reputation, assert her role as first lady and enhance her reputation as Chirca slides towards political irrelevence.

Director Léa Domenach skilfully blurs the lines between fact and fiction, presenting a captivating portrait of an very unexpected feminist icon. The President's Wife is a winning mix of satire, vibrant visuals and nuanced acting assisted by a fast paced and witty script.

Deneuve delivers yet again in a performance for which  she was nominated for Best Actress at the Lumieres.

A film like this could easily fail, but this one succeeds, gets it just right  and  The President's Wife is a must-see in this year’s lineup!

"Catherine Deneuve is hilarious."  20 Minutes

A tale of female 'empowerment', Bernadette is a chronicle of the Chirac years, with delightful gags and bright colours." - Marie Claire

"Irresistible." Les Echos

"Jubilant." Le Journal Du Dimanche