The Artist

Director: Michel Hazanavicius
France 2011, 100 min

Hollywood 1927: George Valentin (Jean Dujardin) is a celebrated silent film star. But the introduction of the talkies hangs over his career like the sword of Damocles. At a premiere party, George falls in love with the charismatic young extra Peppy Miller (Bérénice Bejo), who, with her winning smile, has what it takes to become a screen darling herself. While the triumph of the talkies marks the beginning of Peppy’s rise to fame, George, who sees himself as an old-school star, misses the boat and falls further and further down the career ladder. George lacks a feel for the modernization of cinema and the new demands of the audience. He falls out with his producer (John Goodmann) and his self-produced silent film becomes a flop. This not only jeopardizes his relationship with his wife, but also almost leads him to financial ruin.
Michel Hazanavicius’ black-and-white silent film tells the story of the rise of a young actress in Hollywood in 1927, when the transition from silent to sound film began.