France / May 13, 2000 / Cannes Directors' Fortnight
Overall average
5.0/10
Plot
Marie, who works as a successful door-to-door encyclopedia salesperson, has been married to her husband Francois for 12 years and has a two-year-old son. Though she is relatively content with her life, she feels something is wanting. Enter 50-year old African-American Bill. Initially she is annoyed by his insouciance, but she finds that she is irresistibly attracted to him. Soon the two are in the midst of sordid illicit affair. She knows little about her new lover, and he seems uninterested in learning about her, but the long sessions of lovemaking are something else entirely. Feeling out of control, Marie is increasingly repelled by her own actions. Psychologically, she struggles to reconcile her torrid encounters with Bill and mundane domestic chores such as bathing her son. Moreover, she finds herself incapable of hiding her adulterous behavior, rather she comes home with scratches and hickeys all over her body, to the devastation Francois.
Main cast
Full cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Frédéric Sauzay | Luc |
| Natalya Ermilova | Ana |
| Charlotte Pradon | Mélanie |
Genres
Technical details
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Original title | Le Secret |
| Original language | Français (FR) |
| Spoken languages | Français |
| Production countries | France |
| Status | Released |
| Production companies | Les Productions Bagheera |
| Release date | 1 novembre 2000 |
| Production | François Marquis, Michel Saint-Jean |
| Writer | Erick Zonca, Virginie Wagon |
| Casting | Jeanne Biras, Antoine Carrard, Aude Cathelin, Noah Harlan |
| Editing | Yannick Kergoat |
| Cinematography | Jean-Marc Fabre |
| Assistant directors | Virginie Wagon |
| Camera operators | Jean-Marc Fabre |
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| Additional photography | Jean-Marc Fabre |
| Production design | Brigitte Brassart |
| Art direction | Brigitte Brassart |
| Set decoration | Brigitte Brassart |
| Music | Stéphane Thiébaut, Pascal Chauvin |
| Sound | Stéphane Thiébaut, Pascal Chauvin |
| Costume design | Brigitte Slama, Anne Bergamaschi, Jean-Marie Cuvilo, Laurence Grosjean, Pascale Guégan |
| Makeup | Anne Bergamaschi, Laurence Grosjean, Pascale Guégan, Brigitte Slama, Jean-Marie Cuvilo |
| Hairstyling | Brigitte Slama, Anne Bergamaschi, Jean-Marie Cuvilo, Laurence Grosjean, Pascale Guégan |
| Revenue | 166.721 € |
Release dates
Premiere
Theatrical release
France / Nov 01, 2000
Italy / Jun 15, 2001
Spain / Jul 27, 2001
United Kingdom / Aug 24, 2001 / 18
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Sweden / Oct 26, 2001 / 15
South Korea / May 18, 2006 / 18
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