MONSIEUR

International Premiere | France | 2025 | Drama, Thriller | 88 min | In French with English subtitles

Directed by: Méliane Marcaggi
Written by: Natalie Carter
Based on the Book by: Louise Mey
Produced by: Martine Lheureux (LM les films), France Télévisions
Cinematography: Pierric Gantelmi d’Ille
Original Score: Cyrille Aufort
Film Editing: Nicole Brame
Cast: Jean-Pierre Darroussin (Dassieux), Jeremy Lewin (Gabriel), Aurélien Recoing (Mr. Demest), Léontine d’Oncieu (Catherine Caron), Pascale d’Inca (Captain Aubreuil), Didier Brice (Radier), Sophie Le Tellier (Mrs. Salors)
International Sales: Film & Picture
Original Broadcast: France 2 (TBA)

Synopsis

The year is 1969, on the heels of the May “68 social and sexual revolution that took Paris by storm. In America, men are landing on the moon. But in “la France profonde,” nothing has changed. Money means power and the patriarchy is alive and well. Mr. Demest owns a massive estate in Northern France and wields an iron fist in the region. One evening, Catherine, a kitchen servant, is asked to keep an eye on his 5-year-old granddaughter, Sylvie. Walking back to the house for dinner, a farm hand bullies her and the other guys all join in. Catherine gets flustered, completely turned around… and when she looks up, Sylvie has vanished. The next morning a ransom note arrives.

Director’s biography

Méliane Marcaggi began her career as an actress on stage and screen, and has appeared in such films as Alex Lutz’s Le talent de mes amis (2015), Frank Bellocq’s Love Addict (2018), and Christophe Duthuron’s Tricky Old Dogs (2018) and Fêlès (2024). Marcaggi eventually found her way behind the camera, writing and directing her first feature, Belle fille, starring Alexandra Lamy and Miou-Miou, in 2020. She then went on to direct episodes of the series Rendez-vous avec le crime (2022), Le Daron (2024), and Alexandra Ehle (2023-2025). Monsieur premiered at this year’s Festival de la Fiction in La Rochelle, a revered event honoring narrative made-for-TV programming.