Violette Page #5

"May she lend me her shoulder

or may she borrow mine.

"May I have her face near mine.

"I must exchange innocence with her.

"She took me out of a world

"and threw me into another

I did not yet know.

"She taught me about humility.

"I scared myself.

"I am flesh and blood.

I am alive.

"I am not an idol."

"Dear Simone de Beauvoir.

"Ravages is advancing.

"I have left Isabelle

for my husband Jacques.

"I write to love them.

find them again. to not lose them.

"but I see the gulf widening

between the life I lead

"and the eroticism of my book."

Is Roussillon soon?

It's way back there.

We're near Vaison.

I wanted to get off at Roussillon!

Excuse me.

what's that village there?

I'm lost. Where are we?

Faucon. You're in Faucon.

Is there a hotel?

A hotel in Faucon?

There's none.

And a room?

Where can I find a room?

Who owns this house?

The owner is dead.

The children don't visit.

It's nice here.

What's that mountain?

Mount Ventoux.

It protects us from everything.

"It was the first time

I'd penetrated the intimacy

"of men's underwear.

"My hand brushed

a mound of tenderness.

"like a woman's breast.

"On him. I sought.

I groped. I found.

"I touched the wrinkled skin.

as delicate as an eyelid.

"He offered himself.

"I stifled my cry:

'It's my first time.'

"'You don't need that.'

my mother said."

Simone.

try to see reason.

Violette Leduc is a great writer.

You treat her badly.

You were less fastidious

with Genet.

Maybe we should

get rid of the eroticism

and keep the emotion.

do a separate story

with the two schoolgirls?

If the author were less explicit

about her techniques...

You cannot bear a woman

being open about her sexuality.

Your mind is dirty.

- What does Sartre think?

- The same as I do.

She is a great writer

and will stand out.

And the passage on the abortion?

It won't get past the censors.

and you know it.

These things have to be said

once and for all!

Grasset and Albin-Michel agree.

if we make more drastic cuts.

With Gallimard.

we save the abortion passage.

Violette. you will be the first

to speak about it openly.

What do you advise?

Give in.

And if I resist?

I know exactly how you feel.

We'll put things right.

Violette. look at me.

You speak about women's sexuality

as no woman ever has.

With poetry. truth and more.

You'll be thanked for it one day.

I'm being mutilated.

It's awful.

Never... Goodbye.

Did you sleep well?

Sleep is important.

I tried to turn the pages quietly.

Good morning!

I'm sorry.

Visitors are not allowed.

She's sleeping.

I'm furious. They gave her EC despite my opposition.

I must speak to Dr Fouquet.

- Shall I come?

- There's no need.

I'm happy to help pay

for Violette's treatment.

Out of the question.

I'm very grateful for

the friendship you show her.

and your help.

One cannot be friends with

Violette Leduc. you know that.

It's a duty I'm fulfilling.

Excuse me. I'm in a hurry.

Violette Leduc Talks

About Love Like a Man

There are letters too.

The Mandarins

You can read it.

Listen to this.

"One must jump into Ravages

as into a fire.

"Violette Leduc

is scared of nothing.

"Her character is possessed

with an urge to love

"and turns into torturers

the people she loves.

"She dares say

what no one woman has:

"repressed things.

angels wrested from entrails."

Violette.

You're halfway there.

I won't abandon you.

For the fiftieth year.

the Goncourts have awarded

their annual prize.

The jurors. including Francis Carco.

Roland Dorgels. Pierre Mac Orlan.

Philippe Hriat

and Armand Salacrou.

chose The Mandarins

by Simone de Beauvoir.

who did not appear.

Less shy. Jean Reverzy.

winner of the Renaudot.

fulfilled the obligations

fame brings with it...

That clinic was ever so good.

Mrs de Beauvoir paid for it.

I saw the price.

I didn't even sleep in a room

that dear on my wedding night.

Go on. lean on me.

Lean on your mother.

My God. what a mess!

Right.

I wanted to clean this morning.

but I could only get

the 11am train.

You should get undressed

and lie down. Violette.

Here.

Bin isn't even emptied.

You should go to bed.

"Miss. this is to confirm

your monthly payment

"of 25.000 francs.

Accounts Department."

I can't stand it here.

I can't live here anymore.

There's no point

taking it out on things.

Give it to Michel.

I won't write anymore.

You'll have changed

your mind tomorrow. To bed!

No. No! I won't write anymore.

Swallow.

Mr Gurin visited several times

during your rest cure.

With bouquets this big.

Your friend Genet too.

Seems you'd fallen out.

Mrs de Beauvoir came

once a week.

Sometimes with Mr Sartre.

He's so ugly!

How can a beautiful woman live

with such an ugly man?

Attention lavished

on my darling.

The flowers have wilted.

but you have gifts.

I put them in your suitcase.

Do you want to see them?

Don't you cry

when I came all this way

to be with you

when you got out.

Just shut up!

Once and for all.

will you just shut up!

Why are you mean?

What have I done to you?

You made me!

That's the problem.

Yet you didn't want me.

Nor did my father or anyone else!

I'm a bastard.

That's the problem!

And no one wants me.

No one wants me.

There.

Ah. Violette!

What a nice surprise.

How are you feeling?

Fine.

My mother is annoying me.

- Are you going away?

- No. I'm moving.

I've bought a place

near Montparnasse Cemetery.

- My Mandarins are selling well

- I know.

- Bravo for the Goncourt.

- Thank you.

Mrs de Beauvoir?

What do we do with the desk?

Shall we meet somewhere?

I'm coming.

But I can help you.

Let me help you.

I can be useful for once.

The curtains.

You forgot to take them down.

I'll have others made.

Take them if you like.

It wasn't for that.

There are things in the kitchen.

Just help yourself.

I'm not asking for alms.

Come now. Violette.

Don't get upset.

We're over all that.

We're over all that?

Where are we at now then?

Do you know where we're at?

You're right.

We'll meet later.

I'll go.

By the way. the allowance...

Don't worry about that.

They will pay. I promise.

Gaston Gallimard paying

an allowance to Violette Leduc.

You take me for an idiot.

I don't see what you mean.

I know it's you.

I've become bitter. unhappy

because of you.

I'm attached to you.

You say I have talent.

that I'll succeed.

I believe and obey you.

and end up half mad in a clinic.

with no future.

And you grow successful.

Get out of my life!

You gave me that place.

Give me another.

I can't!

Take up your pen.

You can change things with it.

Shouting will get you nowhere.

Writing will.

I've nothing left to say.

Start again from the beginning.

from your birth.

- What'll that change?

- Everything.

You've changed.

You see yourself differently.

The Bastard

Do you have a light?

Do I scare you?

No. I'm in a hurry.

I'm Ren.

Why are you here?

For the fresh air.

Paris is stifling.

- And you?

- Me?

What's your name?

Violette.

This is where we go

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