''L'Astragale'' is a 2015 French

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super ...

directed by

Brigitte Sy Brigitte Sy (born 26 January 1956) is a French actress and filmmaker. Her directorial film debut, ''Les Mains libres'', was released in 2010 to critical acclaim in France. Life and career She is the mother of the actors Louis Garrel and Esther ...

. It is the second film adaptation of the 1965

semi-autobiographical novel An autobiographical novel is a form of novel using autofiction techniques, or the merging of autobiographical and fictive elements. The literary technique is distinguished from an autobiography or memoir by the stipulation of being fiction. Beca ...

''L'Astragale'' by

Albertine Sarrazin Albertine Sarrazin (17 September 1937 – 10 July 1967) was a French author. She was best known for her semi-autobiographical novel ''L'Astragale''. Life and career Albertine was born on 17 September 1937 in Algiers, French North Africa. Her t ...

, after Guy Casaril's ''L'Astragale'' (1968).

Plot

Despite a privileged upbringing with adopted parents, Albertine develops a crush for Marie, a delinquent girl, and is arrested after an armed robbery together. Climbing out of jail with seven years still to serve, she collapses by a highway, having broken her astragal, a tiny bone in the foot. She is rescued by Julien, a professional criminal who happens to be passing, and he leaves her in Paris with Nini, a prostitute he knows. Though he pays for an operation to her damaged foot and gets her false identity papers, his way of life means indefinite absences. Unable to risk legitimate work, Albertine takes up prostitution and saves up for a hoped-for future with Julien. She is found by Marie, who rekindles their affair but is once again arrested. Then Julien is arrested and jailed: Albertine does not dare to visit, but learns that he is visited by Catherine, another woman in his life. Once he is released, she demands that he give up Catherine and he drives off to do so. When he gets back in the morning, he sees two policemen taking Albertine away.

Cast

Leïla Bekhti Yasmine Leïla Bekhti (born 6 March 1984) is a French film and television actress. She is best known for her roles in ''Tout ce qui brille'' (2007) and, in 2006, ''Paris, je t'aime'' and ''Sheitan (film), Sheitan''. Early life Bekhti was born in ...

as Albertine Damien *

Reda Kateb Reda Kateb ( ar, رضا كاتب; born 27 July 1977) is a French actor. Life and career Kateb was born in Ivry-sur-Seine, France, to an Algerian actor, Malek-Eddine Kateb, and a French nurse of Czech and Italian origin. He is a grandnephew of t ...

as Julien *

Esther Garrel Esther Garrel (born 18 February 1991) is a French actress. She is most known for her roles in ''17 Girls'' (2011), ''Jealousy'' (2013), '' Call Me by Your Name'' (2017), and '' Thirst Street'' (2017). Early life Garrel was born in Paris, the dau ...

as Marie * Jocelyne Desverchère as Nini *

India Hair India Hair (born 1987) is a French actress. Early life Hair was born in Saumur a town in western France, to an American father and an English mother. Career She has worked in film and television. Her film credits include '' Camille Rewinds' ...

as Suzy * Jean-Charles Dumay as Roger * Jean-Benoît Ugeux as Marcel *

Louis Garrel Louis Garrel (born 14 June 1983) is a French actor and filmmaker. He is best known for his starring role in '' The Dreamers'', directed by Bernardo Bertolucci.

as Jacky * Delphine Chuillot as Catherine * Zimsky as Riton * Billie Blain as Coco *

as Rita * Suzanne Huin as Marilyne * Yann Gael as Etienne * Damien Bonnard as Young cop

Accolades

References

External links

* 2015 films 2015 drama films 2010s French-language films French drama films French neo-noir films Films set in the 1950s Films based on French novels French black-and-white films Films directed by Brigitte Sy Films produced by Paulo Branco 2010s French films {{2010s-France-film-stub