Cheri is a 2009 French/British/German drama film directed by Stephen Frears. Avec Michelle Pfeiffer and Rupert Friend, it is an adaptation of the roman by French author Colette. The film premiered at the 2009 Berlin International Film Festival. Set in 1900s Belle Époque Paris, Cheri tells the story of la fin of a six-year affair between an aging retired courtesan, Léa, and a flamboyant young man, Fred, nicknamed "Chéri" ("Dear"). Turning stereotypes upside-down, it is Chéri qui wears silk pyjamas and Léa's pearls, and qui is the object of gaze. The two believe their relationship is casual until they are separated by Chéri's marriage, at which point they realize they are in love. They spend a miserable neuf mois apart, at which point Chéri appears at Léa's home. They spend la nuit together and Léa begins to plan their new life together. However, when she learns that Chéri had returned for the moral strength to be a mari, she releases him to return home. The final scene shows Chéri leaving Léa's home to walk down la rue towards his home. Léa returns to her vanity table to gaze at herself in the miroir. The narrator cuts in that after many years Chéri will realize that Léa was the only femme he could ever love, but she was too old for him. Chéri will kill himself after this realization.
Avec (ah vehk) -with roman (roh mahn) -novel la fin (lah feen) -the end
qui (kee) -who neuf mois (nuhf mwah) -9 months la nuit (la nuit) -the night
mari (mah ree) -husband la rue (lah roo) -the street table (tah bluh) -table
miroir (meer wah) -mirror femme (fehm) -woman
