Mademoiselle Julie

Mademoiselle Julie is a naturalistic play written in 1888 by August Strindberg. It is set on Midsummer's Eve on the estate of a Count. The young woman of the title is drawn to a senior servant, a valet named Jean (Nicolas Bouchaud), who is particularly well-traveled, well-mannered and well-read. The action takes place in the kitchen of Mademoiselle Julie's father's manor, where Jean's fiancée, a servant named Christine (Bénédicte Cerutti), cooks and sometimes sleeps while Jean and Miss Julie talk. On this night the relationship between Miss Julie and Jean escalates rapidly to feelings of love and is subsequently consummated. Over the course of the play Miss Julie and Jean battle until Jean convinces her that the only way to escape her predicament is to commit suicide.

Directed by Nicolas Klotz, Mademoiselle Julie leans on a strong ensemble — Juliette Binoche, Nicolas Bouchaud, Bénédicte Cerruti — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 2011.