THE MINISTER

L'Exercice de L'Etat

Director Pierre Schoeller / 2011 / France

A serious-minded exploration of what makes a French politician tick.” - Variety

Although authentically set within a French minister's office, this second feature by Pierre Schoeller strikes a universal chord in its depiction of the inner workings of a politician's life. As the Minister for Transport (the always excellent Olivier Gourmet in a sharp performance) himself declares, “Politics is a wound that never heals.” And that is demonstrated as the story tracks the forever-on-the-move, self-important agenda of the minister and his two closest advisors as they wrangle their way through an increasingly frantic chain of events.

With touches of humour and flashes of surrealism - none more so than the eye-popping opening scene - The Minister, which was co-produced by the Dardenne brothers, won the FIPRESCI prize at Cannes last year.

“That rare project that sees past the clichés of politics, paying the world respect through its elegant widescreen lensing and score.” - Variety

D/S Pierre Schoeller P Andre Bouvard, Denis Freyd Dist Hi Gloss Entertainment L French w/English subtitles TD DCP/2011

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