Marguerite Duras, the Indochina-born French author whose books were adapted into plays and films--Alain Resnais' HIROSHIMA, MON AMOUR (1958) and Jean-Jacques Annaud's THE LOVER (1991)--is played by Jeanne Moreau in CET AMOUR-LA, a biographical look at the last 15 years in the life of this historical figure. Told from the point of view of Yann Andrea Steiner (Aymeric Demarigny), the young man who was her lover, assistant, and companion for those final years, CET AMOUR-LA is a calmly fascinating tale.
In the role of Duras, the great Moreau commands a powerful presence. She is quick-witted and dreamy, disciplined and sometimes cruel, egotistic and easily hurt, at once indestructible and too fragile. Her words are poetry, as any Duras reader knows. And they are the charms that win the heart and soul of young Yann, who, after wooing her for five years with love letters, finally meets her in person and never again leaves her side. This is where CET AMOUR-LA begins. Duras is happy to have Yann in her life. But she also guards her obvious superiority to him, both in age and intelligence, and uses it whimsically to her advantage. Yann savors each of her words and each moment spent with her, following her with puppy love and protecting her to the very end. A sweet story, directed by Josee Dayan and produced by Alain Sarde, this captivating film illuminates the final chapter in the life of an unforgettable author.
