‘Violette’ Review: Leduc Biopic Worthy of French Writer’s Complex Life

‘Violette’ Review: Leduc Biopic Worthy of French Writer’s Complex Life | Variety

The trailblazing feminist writer Violette Leduc gets a biopic fully worthy of her complex life and work with “Violette.” In this thematic bookend to his 2008 “Seraphine,” director Martin Provost once again casts his sharp yet sympathetic gaze on an uncompromising woman artist profoundly at odds with the social and artistic conventions of her day. And once more, he has crafted a plum role that allows a gifted actress (Emmanuelle Devos) to show the full range of her abilities. Commercial prospects look solid for the pic’s Nov. 6 opening in Gaul (where “Seraphine” racked up 846,000 admissions), while the combination of tony literary material and handsome period craftsmanship make it a natural prospect for offshore arthouse distribs.