Une vieille maîtresse is a smoldering adaptation of Jules Barbey d’Aurevilly’s scandalous 19th-century novel. Set during the reign of “citizen king” Louis Philippe, it chronicles the surprising betrothal of the aristocratic, handsome  Ryno de Marigny (newcomer Fu-ad Aît Aattou) to Hermangarde (Roxane Mesquida of Fat Girl), a young, beautiful and virginal aristocrat. Lurking in the margins – and in the imaginations of high society’s gossip-hounds – is de Marigny’s older, tempestuous lover of ten years, the carnal La Vellini (Asia Argento in a commanding performance). Described as, “a capricious flamenca who can outstare the sun,” La Vellini still burns for de Marigny, and she will not go quietly.

Though a fascinating departure into more traditional storytelling, Une vieille maîtresse sees Breillat (Romance, Fat Girl, Anatomy of Hell - SFFF 2005) continuing her career-long interest in the ramifications of female desire, casting Argento as an impassioned independent woman for the ages, but it is also a surprisingly witty and touching – and needless to say sexily explicit and provocative - period drama that explores the age-old battle of the sexes.

Shown with Espoir (Hope) by Karim Drissi

Q&A with Liz Constable, Associate Professor at UC Davis follows the Sunday screening.