Last showing : April 13th - 7:00pm

Les Gardiennes (The Guardians) 2017

Directed and co-scripted by Cannes Grand Prix Winner Xavier Beauvois (Of Gods & Men), adapted from Ernest Perrochon’s 1924 novel. With Nathalie Baye, Laura Smet, Iris Bry. 138 minutes. Music by Michel Legrand.

1915. The women of the Paridier farm, under the deft hand of the family’s matriarch Hortense (Baye), must grapple with the workload while the men, including two sons, are off at the front. Daughter Solange (Smet) stays in the kitchen. Hortense reluctantly brings on an outsider, Francine (stunning newcomer Bry) to help during the harvest. New tools allow the women to triumph over the land, newfound independence is acquired, yet emotions are stirred especially when the men return from the front on short leaves.

Beauvois offers a simply told and beautifully conveyed account of the devastating events which will eventually lead the way to the emancipation of women throughout Europe. Basing most of the action away from the battle ground in a French countryside with painterly images bathed in natural sunlight, the director  offers an alternate war movie, one where all the lead characters are women, and where the fight takes place at home rather than on the battle field.

Won 10 nominations at the 2018 Cesar Awards and Lumiere Awards among others.