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Special Features
- Interviews with Claude Miller and Ludivine Sagnier
- Director Biography
- Photo gallery
- Theatrical trailer
- Trailer gallery
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Inspired by The Seagull, Claude Miller's La Petite Lili takes place in present day Brittany. While Chekhov’s play was set in a theatrical milieu, longtime Truffaut associate Miller (Alias Betty) sets his film in a cinematic one (a là Day For Night). The title character is an aspiring actress (Ludivine Sagnier, Swimming Pool), who is seeing experimental filmmaker Julien (Robertson Stévenin). She would prefer to be working with an established commercial director like Brice (Bernard Giraudeau, Ridicule), who is involved with his leading lady--Julien's mother, Mado (Nicole Garcia). By the conclusion, Lili will have achieved her goal, but at what cost? Well, unlike The Seagull, La Petite Lili isn't a tragedy, so no one character will make out too badly. And as in François Ozon's Water Drops on Burning Rocks, itself based on a play (by Rainer Werner Fassbinder), Sagnier and Giraudeau make for a strangely compelling screen couple. --Kathleen C. Fennessy
Product Description
{Nominated Palme d'Or, Claude Miller-- Cannes Film Festival 2003}
{Winner! Silver Hugo Best Female Performance, Ludivine Sagnier-- Chicago Int'l Film Festival 2003}
{Winner! Best Supporting Actress, and Most Promising Actress, Julie Depardieu-- César Awards, France 2004}
Ludivine Sagnier stars as Lili, the love and muse of an idealistic young filmmaker in this modern adaptation of Chekov's classic play The Seagull.
The story revolves around Mado, a movie-star past her prime who owns an elegant chateau in the serene French countryside. Mado's lover Brice is a successful director who continues to cast Mado in his films. Her son Julien, an aspiring filmmaker, despises his "sell-out" mother, but at the same time yearns for her approval. Lili, Julien's girlfriend, is intent on escaping the lowly life of a poor country girl and dreams of stardom. When Julien screens his new DV art-film starring Lili, the delicate peace in their house begins to unravel.
An excellent ensemble cast of actors including Ludivine Sagnier (Swimming Pool), the striking young actor Robinson Stévenin, the up and coming Julie Depardieu (Les Destineés), Nicole Garcia (Alias Betty), Jean-Pierre Marielle (Tous les Matins du Monde) and Bernard Giraudeau (Ridicule).
{Winner! Silver Hugo Best Female Performance, Ludivine Sagnier-- Chicago Int'l Film Festival 2003}
{Winner! Best Supporting Actress, and Most Promising Actress, Julie Depardieu-- César Awards, France 2004}
Ludivine Sagnier stars as Lili, the love and muse of an idealistic young filmmaker in this modern adaptation of Chekov's classic play The Seagull.
The story revolves around Mado, a movie-star past her prime who owns an elegant chateau in the serene French countryside. Mado's lover Brice is a successful director who continues to cast Mado in his films. Her son Julien, an aspiring filmmaker, despises his "sell-out" mother, but at the same time yearns for her approval. Lili, Julien's girlfriend, is intent on escaping the lowly life of a poor country girl and dreams of stardom. When Julien screens his new DV art-film starring Lili, the delicate peace in their house begins to unravel.
An excellent ensemble cast of actors including Ludivine Sagnier (Swimming Pool), the striking young actor Robinson Stévenin, the up and coming Julie Depardieu (Les Destineés), Nicole Garcia (Alias Betty), Jean-Pierre Marielle (Tous les Matins du Monde) and Bernard Giraudeau (Ridicule).
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 8 people found the following review helpful
By hot4hypatia
Format:DVD
It was filmed in beautiful Île-aux-Moines, Morbihan, France. All the actors are quite impressive- even those with minor roles. Take away or add a character and it just wouldn't be the same. The film is based on 'The Seagull', a play in 4 acts by A. Chekhov. In the film, the final act invokes an 'art imitates life' theme that sublimates the tragic ending of the play in a novel way. On first viewing, the direction in this final act in the film seemed a bit contrived, but a subsequent viewing has me convinced that the director's choices - including a minimal amount of dialog - reveal the characters brilliantly. All in all an enjoyable slice of life populated by very believable characters & a fine example of le cinema francais.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
The French film "La Petite Lili" takes its inspiration from the Chekov classic "The Seagull." I may be a bit of a philistine for admitting it, but truly--I've sat through enough Chekov in my life thus far to be content to never see another variation! Sorry, had to be said! Surprisingly, however, I really warmed to this film. As you might expect, the movie starts out at an idyllic country estate populated with a complex family of misunderstood academics and artists. Jealousy, illicit entanglements, and familial resentments are present in equal proportion--but the early moments focus on young Julien, an aspiring and temperamental film maker, and his actress muse Lili. Lili, as an outsider, begins to insinuate herself into the pre-existing family dynamic and, in subtle and not so subtle ways, create conflict. Both Robinson Stevenin and Ludivine Sagnier are extremely appealing in these pivotal roles--but really everyone is great!
After this traditional introduction, however, the film fast forwards through time to explore the repercussions of this earlier assembly. In an inspired bit of art imitating life, a film is now being made based on the earlier sequences. A delightful post-modern twist, thus, gives this reinterpretation an unexpected urgency. Bringing everyone together for the filming, there is a surreal charm to the chaotic proceedings. With the film actors intermingling with the people they are based on, the scenes unfolding have been re-imagined through Julien's eyes. The film achieves its power through this multi-layered fiction and adheres to the feel and intent of Chekov but puts quite a delicious spin on it as well. Very pleasant surprise--this one would be especially appealing to the more cinematically inclined. KGHarris, 2/11.
After this traditional introduction, however, the film fast forwards through time to explore the repercussions of this earlier assembly. In an inspired bit of art imitating life, a film is now being made based on the earlier sequences. A delightful post-modern twist, thus, gives this reinterpretation an unexpected urgency. Bringing everyone together for the filming, there is a surreal charm to the chaotic proceedings. With the film actors intermingling with the people they are based on, the scenes unfolding have been re-imagined through Julien's eyes. The film achieves its power through this multi-layered fiction and adheres to the feel and intent of Chekov but puts quite a delicious spin on it as well. Very pleasant surprise--this one would be especially appealing to the more cinematically inclined. KGHarris, 2/11.
5 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Video:Non-Anamorphic 1.85:1, Non-Progressive, NTSC, Picture is not bad in this dvd spec. / Sound:French DD 2.0, Sound is not bad. / DVD Features:-Interview with Director Claude Miller & -Interview with Actress Ludivine Sagnier & -Director Biography & -Photo Gallery & -Trailer Gallery, Interviews is not image, only text. / Sub:No Sub menu , No Closed-captioned(Amazon`s details are wrong), But English Subtitle is in picture. It can`t Off! / Movie:Cool! / ETC:Ludivine Sagnier is Beautiful and Pretty! But her short nude is in front of the movie only. (If you want naked Ludivine, search for another title) / Rate:Movie is cool, but DVD is lacked. So, Movie Rate+DVD Rate=Rate 3
