FILM & VIDEO

The provincial French town, POTICHE is a free adaptation of the eponymous hit comic play. Catherine Deneuve is Suzanne Pujol, a submissive housebound ‘trophy housewife’ (or “potiche”) who steps in to manage her wealthy and tyrannical husband (Fabrice Luchini)’s umbrella factory after the workers go on strike and take him hostage. To everyone’s surprise, Suzanne proves herself a competent and assertive woman of action. But when her husband returns from a restful cruise in top form, things get complicated. Gérard Depardieu plays a former union leader and Suzanne’s ex-beau who still holds a flame for her. Acclaimed writer-director François Ozon (“Swimming Pool,” “Under the Sand,” “Time to Leave,”) who had previously directed Ms. Deneuve in the international hit “8 Women,” twists the original play on its head to create his own satirical and hilarious take on the war between the sexes and classes.