Legend has it that Molière died on stage, during a performance of Le Malade Imaginaire. In fact, the playwright died a few hours after leaving the stage, but his last performance of Le Malade Imaginaire was an ordeal. Olivier Py's new film, Le Molière Imaginaire, tells the story of his last hours, due out in cinemas on February 14.
And in the title role of the weakened playwright on the verge of death, we find Laurent Lafitte. The cast also includes Stacy Martin, Jeanne Balibar and Dominique Frot. Shot in a single (false) sequence shot, the film is reminiscent of Alejandro González Iñárritu's Birdman and the films of GasparNoé.
Paris, February 17, 1673. As he did every evening, Molière took to the stage at the Palais-Royal to perform Le malade imaginaire. It was to be his last performance.
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