1921, the beginning of the Golden Twenties. Not far from Paris. It is party day at Marguerite Dumont’s castle. Like every year, an array of rich music lovers has gathered to enjoy a very private and exclusive musical charity show. And every year, the headliner is the hostess herself. Yes, Marguerite sings the opera. She sings wholeheartedly. But she sings terribly. For years she has lived her passion in a bubble, encouraged by her hypocritical friends and unfaithful husband (André Marcon), and protected from the truth by her devoted manservant and photographer (Denis Mpunga). No one has ever told her how bad of a singer she truly is.

When Lucien (Sylvain Dieuaide), a young journalist involved in the newly born surrealist movement, publishes an ironically raving review of her latest performance, Marguerite decides that it is time for her to perform in front of a real audience. Encouraged by Lucien, who considers her the perfect surrealist art experiment, and despite her husband’s reluctance, she starts training for her first recital in front of a crowd of complete strangers...

Catherine Frot, 2016 Best Actress César Winner, is fantastic as the tone-deaf Marguerite. Her performance is high comedy, but not only because of how badly she sings (we should note that in real life, Catherine Frot sings quite well, which makes her off-key singing scenes even more phenomenal). The best part of Frot's performance, and the key to why the film works so well, is how she conveys the complete and utter extent to which Marguerite believes in her nonexistent gift. And soon our feelings toward her turn from mockery to empathy. Giannoli approaches his character with sympathy, casting Frot for her ability to bring out Marguerite’s all too human side.

Marguerite is loosely inspired by the life of New York socialite Florence Foster Jenkins, an early twentieth century amateur operatic soprano, known and ridiculed for her lack of rhythm, pitch, and tone. Two days following her first and only public concert at Carnegie Hall, at the age of 76, Jenkins suffered a heart attack. She died a month later. You can listen to the real Jenkins "singing" Mozart here! (Warning: she truly was an awful singer!)

An English-language biopic of Jenkins's life will be released later this year. Directed by Stephen Frears, it stars Meryl Streep and Hugh Grant. This could be another award-winning turn for Ms. Streep, as it proved to be for Ms. Frot!

Shown with The Session (La Séance) by Édouard de La Poëze