THE LADY IN THE PORTRAIT (Le Portrait interdit)

Wednesday, April 25 – 5:35 pm – Renoir Theatre

International Premiere | China / France | 2017 | Drama | 103 min | In Chinese and French with English subtitles

Directed by: Charles De Meaux
Written by: Charles De Meaux, Michel Fessler, Mian Mian
Cinematography: Charles De Meaux
Film Editing: Catherine Libert, Charles de Meaux
Produced by: Charles De Meaux, Xavier Douroux (Anna Sanders Films), Timothy Mou (Evergrand Pictures) Lim Chin Siew, Huang Tao
Cast: Fan Bingbing (Empress Ulanara), Melvil Poupaud (Brother Attiret), Jin Shi Jye (Intendant General Chen), Huang Jue (Emperor Quian Long), Thibault De Montalembert (Brother Castiglione), Féodor Atkine (Brother Paul)
International Sales: All Rights Entertainment

When the beautiful Ulanara spies her husband, Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty, filled with longing and undying love, before the portrait of his late first wife, she is overcome with jealousy. She implores the Emperor to commission a portrait of her, as well, in the hope of arousing the same desire in him. The Emperor chooses French Jesuit painter, Jean Denis Attiret (Melvil Poupaud), for the delicate task that is to follow. Chinese megastar Fan Bingbing turns in an understated, very moving performance as a proud Empress deeply wounded by her husband’s neglect. Director Charles de Meaux also served as cinematographer on this exquisitely photographed, sumptuous period piece set in the 18th-century Imperial Court of China and loosely based on a true story… and the haunting portrait it left behind.

Charles De Meaux | Charles de Meaux was born in Istanbul, lives in Paris and Bangkok, and is also a visual artist and producer. His numerous production credits include Thai filmmaker Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s Blissfully Yours (2004), Tropical Malady (Cannes Jury Prize, 2004), and Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives (Cannes Film Festival, Palme d’Or, 2010). De Meaux has directed several videos and shorts, often presented at museums like the Pompidou Center in Paris and the Guggenheim Museum in New York. His feature credits as a director include Shimkent Hotel (2003) and Stretch (2011).

In Association with: All Rights Intertainment

Labels: Women Make History, World Cinema Produced by France