Stanford French Film Festival: Elodie Bouchez in "La Faute a Voltaire"

Synopsis of "La Faute A Voltaire"

Winner of the Golden Lion for first feature at the 2000 Venice Film Festival, "La Faute à Voltaire" aka "Poetical Refugee" is the story of Jallel, a Tunisian immigrant in Paris. Claiming to be a refugee from war-torn Algeria in order to get political asylum, his life in the country of 'liberty, equality and fraternity' is one of homeless shelters, illegal jobs and emotionally complex sexual relationships.

But director Abdel Kechiche refuses to portray Jallel as either hapless victim or angry rebel. Instead, he focuses on Jallel's relationships with his new community, an eclectic group of lively unemployed French and second-generation immigrant. Among them, Lucie, played by Élodie Bouchez, and her raw emotions....