Potiche by Francois Ozon was at the opening night of Rendez Vous With French Cinema. A real tribute to Catherine Deneuve! She is the leading star in this movie, very French in many ways. She is herself so funny, so perfectly in her role! It is a real pleasure.
Her “husband” Mr. Pujol is Fabrice Lucchini and Deneuve alias Mrs. Pujol’s many lovers is Gerard Depardieu. President of Unifrance Antoine de Clermont Tonnerre opened this annual French film festival in New York with remarks that seem even more outdated than the film itself which takes place in 1977. Should American not be French from French Canada to French Louisiana if Napoleon Bonaparte had not sold it “for a couple of bucks” to the Americans?
The film itself is a slice of French history, French life in the 70’s and yes! French men are rather macho and yes! Women were rather ” potiches” then, and yes! Between the bourgeois and the communists, there were a few misunderstandings.
In the end, of course, it is all about fashion and Deneuve is outstanding wearing all these two pieces vintage suits from Chanel to Ungaro. I had forgotten the semi-cape on the shoulders and the summery silk dresses and of course the umbrella coordinated to the rest of the outfit (The Pujol family owns an umbrella factory).
Pascale Richard 
great – i am going to see it. Always love the increasingly gargantuan Gerard D too. And I quite fell in love with Judith Godriche years ago in Ridicule