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The President's Wife

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The President's Wife

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1h 32m

Comedy

Drama

Biography

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Popcornmeter

88%

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34 Reviews

Popcornmeter

Fewer than 50 Ratings

Long the woman-behind-the-man, Bernadette Chirac (Catherine Deneuve) arrives at the presidential Elysée Palace in 1995 frustrated and all but cast off by her newly elected husband, Jacques (Michel Vuillermoz). Having always worked in his shadow to help his ascent to the presidency, Madame Chirac now fully expects to finally get the place in the political elite she believes she deserves. In Léa Domenach's whip-smart feature film debut based on true events, Madame Chirac's rise from invisible political spouse to major media figure--as calculated as it was inevitable--is chronicled with equal parts reverence and wit, driven by Deneuve's wryly memorable central performance.

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Critics Consensus

The President's Wife knows it's a trifle and uses that to its advantage, gently skewering French politics while presenting Catherine Deneuve with a plum role that she devours with aplomb.

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Alonso Duralde

Press Play (KCRW)

Does she make compromises along the way that sell out her convictions and even members of her family? Yes. But does being on TV all the time mean that Karl Lagerfeld shows up so that she won't be wearing last year's Chanel? Also yes.

Apr 22, 2025

Full Review

Thelma Adams

AARP Movies for Grownups

Deneuve is delicious in a role affectionately crafted for her.

Rated: 4/5

Apr 18, 2025

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Peyton Robinson

RogerEbert.com

At times playfully quaint and others sharply witty, the film maneuvers an environment of stuffy prestige and constant charading with deft hands

Rated: 3/4

Apr 18, 2025

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Manuel Betancourt

FilmWeek (LAist)

Tonally, it's just odd to get very little insight into politics and to focus on "the great woman behind the great man," but Deneuve is just fantastic.

May 20, 2025

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Oscar Goff

Cambridge Day

While mileage may vary depending on your history with the film’s subject, 90 minutes with Deneuve is rarely ill spent.

Rated: 3/4

May 8, 2025

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Armond White

National Review

The President’s Wife is a low-key comedy but outstanding for this period of humorless politics.

May 1, 2025

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JoeG

Very entertaining. Throughly enjoyed!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/28/25

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MARYANN T

Everyone was wonderful in this movie but, of course, Catherine carried the show. It was interesting to get a glimpse of French politics, but the family interactions were even more compelling. It is satisfying to see a woman who had been pushed into the background come into her own so successfully. Loved the ending!

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

04/20/25

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Léa Domenach

Director

Catherine Deneuve

Bernadette Chirac

Denis Podalydès

Bernard Niquet

Michel Vuillermoz

Jacques Chirac

Sara Giraudeau

Claude Chirac

Laurent Stocker

Nicolas Sarkozy

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The President's Wife: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

Long the woman-behind-the-man, Bernadette Chirac (Catherine Deneuve) arrives at the presidential Elysée Palace in 1995 frustrated and all but cast off by her newly elected husband, Jacques (Michel Vuillermoz). Having always worked in his shadow to help his ascent to the presidency, Madame Chirac now fully expects to finally get the place in the political elite she believes she deserves. In Léa Domenach's whip-smart feature film debut based on true events, Madame Chirac's rise from invisible political spouse to major media figure--as calculated as it was inevitable--is chronicled with equal parts reverence and wit, driven by Deneuve's wryly memorable central performance.

Director: Léa Domenach
Producer: Antoine Rein, Fabrice Goldstein
Screenwriter: Léa Domenach, Clémence Dargent, Clémence Dargent, Léa Domenach
Distributor: Cohen Media Group
Production Co: Karé Productions
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Biography
Original Language: French
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 18, 2025, Limited
Runtime: 1h 32m
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)