16/05/2003 - A clash between two very different social realities during the German Occupation of France. The director's sixth film at the festival underwhelmed the audience

The first star to grace the Croisette and the official competition is Emmanuelle Béart whose legendary beauty illuminates the latest film by André Téchiné entitled Les égarés. Set in June of 1940, after the German army invaded France, it is the story of a young widow and her two children who escape to the relative safety of the countryside together with a rather wild adolescent who ends up turning all of their lives upside down. Téchiné spoke about “going to a place where time is on hold and our desires come to the fore. A place where people from totally different worlds and social extractions meet” creating new precedents.
The success or failure of this film lies very much on the slim shoulders of Emmanuelle Béart, although newcomer Gaspard Uliel (Embrassez qui vous voulez) makes a valid contribution. “I play a woman who swings between childhood and madness,” said the actress. This is Téchiné’s sixth film to have been selected for competition and although the story was intriguing, it left the audience cold, and the French director is likely to be disappointed yet again. Tèchiné first took part in the competition in 1979 with The Bronte Sisters.
Les égarés was produced by France’s FIT Productions with UK outfit Spice Factory and France 2 Cinéma with a Euros4.33m budget. The film is scheduled for a domestic release on 20 August, followed by Belgium a few weeks later.

(Translated from French)