La petite Fadette

I discovered this one quite by chance, my wife asked me to tape it for her off the TV shortly before Xmas 2004 ! It's based on a novel by French Novelist George Sand and is set in the Berry region, Sand's birthplace. The Berry region is in central France, south-east of a town called Chateauroux,includes the town of Bourges and of course the village of Nohant, where George Sand herself actually lived. Having visited it myself, I can affirm that the area is charming and unspoiled even today and it is this same area which is the setting for this film.

It's a film about true love between two young people where there respective families try to get in the way of their happiness for financial reasons. Basically the boy's family want him to marry someone else to benefit from her dowry. In addition to that, Fadette, the young lady with whom the boy is really in love ( and boy, do we see it throughout the film !! ) is considered by the rest of the village to be some kind of malevolent witch to be avoided at all costs. The boy is one of twins and there is also a special relationship with his twin brother which conflicts with the love he has for Fadette.

I will add no more for fear of spoiling the story but I think it is impeccably acted and filmed. As it is only a TV film, I fear it may not make it beyond the frontiers of France, except to French speaking areas of Canada and Belgium. A great pity though as it is a very pleasant little film indeed. Great attention seems to have been paid to décors and lighting - the actors, apart from Richard Bohringer and Annie Girardot are not well known but carry the plot marvellously.

With a bit of luck this may be issued on DVD in France at least. With a title that seems untranslateable, keep an eye out for it on the TV in your country. You never know, miracles can happen .................