Director Fernando Trueba ( Chico & Rita ) serves up an elegant black-and-white tale of an elderly sculptor (Jean Rochefort) living in occupied France, who finds reinvigoration when he takes on young Spanish refugee (Aida Folch) to sit for him.
Inspired by the relationship between real-life Franco-Catalan artist Maillol and his final muse Diana Vierny, Trueba uses this setting to meditate on art, politics and beauty – notably of the female form.
If it sounds like an old man’s pervy fantasy, it’s not. Folch and Claudia Cardinale ( Once Upon A Time In The West ), who also appears, give as good as they get.
