MODIGLIANI

Year: 2004
USA: Innovation Film Group
Cast: Andy Garcia, Elsa Zylberstein, Hippolyte Girardot, Omid Djalili, Eva Herzigova, Udo Kier, Susie Amy, Peter Capadli, Jim Carter, Beatrice Chiriac, Ciprian Dumitrascu, Loredana Groza, Lance Henriksen, Louis Hilyer, Ruza Madarevic, Miriam Margolyes, Colin McCabe, Michelle Newell, Steven Rimkuss
Director: Mick Davis
Countries: USA / France / Germany / Italy / Romania / UK
USA: 128 mins
USA Rated: R for some language and drug use
USA Release Date: 1 July 2005 (Limited Release - wider)
USA Release Date: 13 May 2005 (Limited Release - Los Angeles)


Synopsis

1919. World War I has ended and Paris nightlife is filled with dark passion and uncontrollable obsessions. In the cafe Rotonde the refuge of the artistic elite there is a table with Picasso, Rivera, Stein, Cocteau, Soutine, Utrillo and Modigliani.

This is the untold story of the bitter rivalry between Modigliani (Andy Garcia) and Picasso (Omid Djalili), two men whose envy of each other is fuelled by their brilliance, their arrogance and their passions.

It is also the story of the greatest love tragedy in art history. Jeanne Hebuterne (Elsa Zylberstein) was a beautiful, young Catholic girl whose only fault according to her father was to fall in love with Modigliani, a Jew. Driven by his religious bigotry, Jeanne's father secretly sends their baby away to a convent in some far away place.

Meanwhile Paris is hosting an annual art competition with a prize of money and a guaranteed career for the winner. But until now Picasso has never entered because he is Picasso and likewise Modigliani. But Modigliani is in desperate straits. He and Jeanne need to save their child. Drunk with anger and soaked by the rain he bursts into the Rotonde and watched by Picasso and the others he enters the competition. Picasso follows suit. Paris becomes frenzied with excitement.

And now it begins...