Le Petit Lieutenant

LE PETIT LIEUTENANT stars Nathalie Baye in the role for which she was awarded the Best Actress Cesar earlier this year. The movie is a gripping drama about two Parisian police detectives -- one an energetic rookie, the other a veteran with a troubled past -- in pursuit of a mysterious killer. A powerful story of lost innocence and the struggle for redemption, LE PETIT LIEUTENANT stars screen great Baye (AN AFFAIR OF LOVE, THE RETURN OF MARTIN GUERRE) and rising French star Jalil Lespert (HUMAN RESOURCES).

On the day of his graduation from the police academy, Antoine (Lespert) learns that his request for assignment in Paris has been granted. While his wife remains in the country, Antoine finds a place in town and starts working in the criminal unit run by Inspector Caroline Vaudieu (Baye), who's recovering from a long battle with alcoholism brought on by the death of her son. The police unit becomes a kind of refuge for them both, as Antoine pours himself into his work and Caroline fights to regain the respect she'd lost. Investigating a series of brutal attacks along the banks of the Seine, they begin to form a unique bond - until tragedy strikes and sends them both hurtling to the edge. A sensitively drawn and realistic group portrait of the complex lives of policemen and women, LE PETIT LIEUTENANT features striking naturalistic performances.

“The tough, satisfying French film LE PETIT LIEUTENANT is an austere drama of the sort that rarely makes it to American screens except on cable television.” (New York Times)