2015 Top 100 Foreign Titles: #83. Christian Vincent’s L’hermine

L’hermine

Director: Christian Vincent // Writer: Christian Vincent

A woefully underrated writer and director, Christian Vincent (pictured above) won a Cesar for his directorial debut back in 1990 with La Discrete, which starred Fabrice Luchini. In 2013, his latest film, The Weinstein Co. distributed Haute Cuisine, featuring a fantastic performance from Catherine Frot, perhaps garnered him his most international acclaim since his 1994 Isabelle Huppert headlined La Separation. Now, with The Stoat (L’hermine), Vincent reunites with Luchini and Danish actress Sidse Babett Knudsen (seen last year in the terrific Peter Strickland film, The Duke of Burgundy). According to Vincent, the story will revolve around “the president of a criminal court in the twilight of his career, who is alone and feared by everyone. The story kicks off the day before a trial, and during the hearing, something will happen that will change everything.” Indeed, sitting on the jury of a case that he has to rule on is a woman who he met many years back.

Cast: Fabrice Luchini, Sidse Babett Knudsen

Producer: Albertine Productions’ Matthieu Tarot (Gemma Bovery)

U.S. Distributor: Rights Available.

Release Date: Vincent rarely makes a festival appearance, and his films tend to be released domestically, snagging international distribution on the basis of their acclaim. With a little luck, Luchini and Knudsen should elevate some additional interest in this to see it snag some festival play or art house distribution.

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