What can a woman do when she finds out her husband is having an affair with her own sister? Not much, according to this account, set in a small town in Belgium in the forties. Elisa is the model of a perfect wife who makes the discovery, but because of her circumstances, she can't do much in order to stop Gilles to see Victorine, her younger and beautiful sister.
Elisa finds herself in a position to go along with her discovery, and not to confront Gilles, at the beginning. Seeking help, Eliza turns to her church, where she confesses what her husband is doing, only to be spoken down by the priest who seems to take the straying husband's part! Then, afraid of losing Gilles, after she finds herself pregnant and not having any money of her own, she accepts Gilles' status quo as a solution to her problems.
In a surprise turn of events, Victorine finds a new suitor who appears to have means to support her in moderate comfort. Gilles is desperate because of his passion for the young woman and confesses his guilt to Elisa, who is so glad, thinking her problems are over. Just when everything seems to be getting back to normal we receive a shock watching Elisa's delayed outrage take shape.
"La Femme de Gilles" is a small and intimate film directed with sure hand by Frederic Fonteyne, who also wrote the screen play. Mr. Fonteyne shows great promise because he clearly understands what his characters are thinking at all times. His narrative is simple, but yet, it leaves us with images that haunt us because the way he involved us in absorbing his film.
Emmanuelle Devos, one of the best French actresses of her generation, gives a tour de force performance in the film. In fact, Ms. Devos is seen in basically all the frames of the movie. As Elisa, the actress gives her life and acts with such an intelligence that it's hard for the viewer to take his eyes away from this troubled woman who is a gentle soul that doesn't deserve what life has given her. She is a kind woman whose love for her twins and the infant son is easy to see. She is a loyal woman who feels betrayed by a husband that clearly doesn't appreciate her and who doesn't care about bringing shame to his household and to his in-law's.
The other two excellent performances are by Clovis Cornillac, who as Gilles, shows a perfect take on this man that strays because of the lust he feels for Victorine. Laura Smet, the beautiful Victorine, is also right for the part.
"La Femme de Gilles" is a film one recommend highly because of the work of Mr. Fonteyne and the exquisite Emmanuelle Devos.
Elisa finds herself in a position to go along with her discovery, and not to confront Gilles, at the beginning. Seeking help, Eliza turns to her church, where she confesses what her husband is doing, only to be spoken down by the priest who seems to take the straying husband's part! Then, afraid of losing Gilles, after she finds herself pregnant and not having any money of her own, she accepts Gilles' status quo as a solution to her problems.
In a surprise turn of events, Victorine finds a new suitor who appears to have means to support her in moderate comfort. Gilles is desperate because of his passion for the young woman and confesses his guilt to Elisa, who is so glad, thinking her problems are over. Just when everything seems to be getting back to normal we receive a shock watching Elisa's delayed outrage take shape.
"La Femme de Gilles" is a small and intimate film directed with sure hand by Frederic Fonteyne, who also wrote the screen play. Mr. Fonteyne shows great promise because he clearly understands what his characters are thinking at all times. His narrative is simple, but yet, it leaves us with images that haunt us because the way he involved us in absorbing his film.
Emmanuelle Devos, one of the best French actresses of her generation, gives a tour de force performance in the film. In fact, Ms. Devos is seen in basically all the frames of the movie. As Elisa, the actress gives her life and acts with such an intelligence that it's hard for the viewer to take his eyes away from this troubled woman who is a gentle soul that doesn't deserve what life has given her. She is a kind woman whose love for her twins and the infant son is easy to see. She is a loyal woman who feels betrayed by a husband that clearly doesn't appreciate her and who doesn't care about bringing shame to his household and to his in-law's.
The other two excellent performances are by Clovis Cornillac, who as Gilles, shows a perfect take on this man that strays because of the lust he feels for Victorine. Laura Smet, the beautiful Victorine, is also right for the part.
"La Femme de Gilles" is a film one recommend highly because of the work of Mr. Fonteyne and the exquisite Emmanuelle Devos.