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La Condition, Jérôme Bonnel’s 1908 Drama, Opens in France to Strong Notices

Early reviews describe a feminist chamber piece probing power, class, female agency inside a provincial household.

Overview

  • The feature reaches French cinemas on 10 December via Diaphana with a 1h43 runtime.
  • Set in 1908, the story centers on a notary, his wife, and a maid whose pregnancy forces a fraught reordering of household roles.
  • Critics praise Bonnel’s restrained, close-to-the-body direction and highlight standout turns from Louise Chevillotte and Swann Arlaud.
  • Emmanuelle Devos appears in a limited, bedridden role that some reviews find less convincing than the film’s leads.
  • Presented as a free adaptation of Léonor de Récondo’s novel Amours, the film marks Bonnel’s eighth feature, with Cineuropa noting Pascal Lagriffoul’s evocative photography and Playtime handling world sales.