Bruno and Frédéric Salim are brothers who occupy senior
positions in a bank. Bruno allowed his younger brother to take
the post of director in exchange for the finance he needs to run a
theatre. Located in a suburb of Paris, the theatre is busy
preparing two productions, Tchekov's Uncle Vanya and Racine's
Esther. Both are threatened when Frédéric
instigates an economy drive, from which even his brother is not
spared. Bruno is married to Florence, a Latin teacher and
translator. The latter has a niece, Vanessa, who has a
workshop that makes shoes for theatre and the cinema. Whilst
Bruno tries to persuade Vanessa to take the role of Esther in his play,
his brother sets out to make her his managerial assistant.
The cinema of Japan is noteworthy for its purity, subtlety and visual impact. The films of Ozu, Mizoguchi and Kurosawa are sublime masterpieces of film poetry.
From its birth in 1895, cinema has been an essential part of French culture. Now it is one of the most dynamic, versatile and important of the arts in France.