Sunday, July 17 | 2 & 5:30 pm
A passionate music connoisseur and generous patron of the arts, the wealthy Baroness Marguerite Dumont dreams of becoming a famous opera singer. But there is a problem: not one of her indulgent loved ones, tactful friends, or opportunistic hangers-on is willing to tell her that she is hopelessly tone-deaf. Set in Paris at the beginning of the 1920s, and based on real events, Giannoli’s richly appointed, beautifully lit film evokes a fascinating artistic era poised halfway between tradition and modernity.  In one of the film’s funniest sequences, Marguerite is championed by a group of Dadaists who extol her singing as a noble affront to the tyranny of beauty. Buoyed by a charming supporting cast and Catherine Frot’s vivacious open-hearted performance in the title role, Marguerite pivots gracefully between astute drawing-room farce, raucous back-stage musical, and poignant character study.
Director Xavier Giannoli 2015 France/Czech Republic/Belgium 129 minutes NR DCP
