Icon of French cinema: Judith Godrech in her own role starts tonight at Arte

On Thursday, December 28, 2023, Arte offers its viewers the opportunity to discover its new French series Icon of French Cinema from 20:55. Here, the community follows Judith Godrech in leather… or almost.

Judith Godrech in her own role

The story begins when our hero returns to Paris after several years of exile in Hollywood. Former muse of auteur cinema, Judith is going to renew her career with a new film. But starting a new life for an enthusiastic and romantic actress, mother and wife is not so easy.

Especially when her 16-year-old daughter falls in love with a much older dance teacher. In a changing world, between humor and frustration, Judith will have to juggle personal ambitions, maternal anxiety, and finally face the demons of her past.

Better than an icon, a self-deprecating and contradictory portrait of a woman with her aspirations, fears, passions, and above all, her thirst to conquer freedom…

In French cinema icon Judith Godrech plays her fictional doppelgänger, but she doesn’t just wear this hat. The actor is also the creator of the series and wrote and directed the six 30-minute episodes that make up the project.

Next to her on the screen we meet Tess Barthelemy (Zoe), Liz Kingsman (Christine), Gina Cailin (Kim) and Alma Struve (Judith Young Girl). But that’s not all, as they all star opposite Ludmila Mikaeli (Louis), Angela Molina (Julia) and Carol Bouquet in their own roles as well.

Finally, Comedie-Française residents Loic Corber (Eric), Laurent Stocker (Pierre de Maraud) and Didier Sandry (Frédéric) all appear in the credits of the French cinema icon.

“I don’t want to settle scores”

In this personal fiction, Judith Godrech takes the stage by recalling her own story. She particularly questions the influence of her 14-year-old relationship with filmmaker Benoit Jacques, 25 years her senior.

In Télé 7 Jours he states: “I don’t want to settle scores, on the other hand, I’ve had to tell this story to all the young girls I can blame individual men for pretending to be protectors when they’re being abused.“

The icon of French cinema can be seen at Arte on Thursday, December 28 at 8:55 p.m.