Anne Fontaine (Coco Before Chanel) is bringing her latest film, Gemma Bovery – an adaptation of Gustave Flaubert’s classic Madame Bovary – to the United States.
Told in two languages (French and English), this film should bring new meaning to the word adaptation. Instead of being a recreation of the novel, the story follow an English couple named Bovery who move to a French town, much like the Bovarys in the novel. One of the townsfolk, Martin Joubert (played by Fabrice Luchini from Molière), sees the similarity, as the couple has moved to the town where Flaubert created his masterpiece. From then on Joubert watches Gemma Bovery, played by Gemma Arterton (Quantum of Solace), as she begins reliving the plot of the novel.
The novel Madame Bovary follow Charles and Emma Bovary as Charles moves Emma to a new town to begin his practice as a doctor. Bored with the conventions and restraints of her life, Emma soon falls into a life filled with affairs and luxury. Eventually it all catches up to her and she is trapped in a game of her own design.
This is not the only adaptation of Madame Bovary coming this summer. Gemma Bovery will get a limited release May 29th, while the more traditional adaptation Madame Bovary is coming June 12th. In Madame Bovary the interpretation is straight from the book and stars Mia Wasikowska (The Kids Are All Right), who will be returning to classic literature after playing the titular role in 2011’s Jane Eyre. It looks like it will be a battle of the adaptations from the novel Madame Bovary: a different interpretation and a traditional retelling.
You can check out the trailer for Gemma Bovery below.
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