Lost Illusions

Lost Illusions is the French film of the year for 2022: a daring, spirited adaptation of the Balzac masterpiece, which premiered in the Main Competition at the Venice Film Festival and won no fewer than seven statuettes (including for best film) at the recent César Awards. With its brilliant direction, the film gets to the heart of contemporary debates about social advancement, privilege, elites, the media and working in culture.

Coming from a downgraded and impoverished family, poet Lucien (Benjamin Voisin) enters into a romantic relationship with local aristocrat and patron Madame de Bargeton (Cécile de France). This misalliance leads the boy all the way to the muddy streets of Paris, where idealists like him - talented, ambitious and with nothing to lose - abound. What awaits them in the capital is well-paid cynicism or poetic poverty. The pen in the service of well-paid calumny or flattery, or loyalty to a poorly selling art. Which path will the protagonist choose to break into the salons?

The success of this witty, tasty film is due not only to its thoroughly contemporary energy, but also to the excellent cast: the poet-pupil of the elite is played by Xavier Dolan (Heartbeats, Matthias & Maxime), the marquise holding power is played by Jeanne Balibar (Les miserables), and the unscrupulous editor-in-chief of a tabloid is played by Vincent Lacoste (Lolo, Amanda).