HBO Max’s new French-language sequence “The Seduction” is an 18th-century MeToo prequel to “Dangerous Liaisons” with a feminist twist, its director Jessica Palud instructed AFP.
The notorious story of two ex-lovers who seduce and corrupt fellow aristocrats for their very own debauched amusement, first penned in Pierre Choderlos de Laclos’s 1782 novel, has been tailored a number of instances beforehand.
Particularly notable examples have included Stephen Frears’ 1988 movie model of the identical title, starring Glenn Close and John Malkovich, and the 1999 “Cruel Intentions,” which transplanted the plot to preppy modern-day New York.
But the brand new small-screen model, in preview at The American French Film Festival (TAFFF) in Los Angeles this week, earlier than streaming on HBO Max from November 14, takes a novel strategy.
Across six episodes, it explores the early years of the Marquise de Merteuil, imagining the misadventures that led her to turn out to be the fearsomely manipulative, free-spirited and promiscuous widow of her later years.
The present chronicles the emancipation of “a humiliated young woman, who won’t let herself be pushed around, won’t tolerate this indignity, these attacks, this incredibly masculine world, and will want to break all the rules,” defined Palud.
Franco-Romanian actress Anamaria Vartolomei (“Mickey 17”) performs the heroine, whom we first meet as a pious commoner known as Isabelle Dassonville, whereas Vincent Lacoste performs the menacing Viscount de Valmont.
The viscount levels a faux marriage to steal Dassonville’s virginity, earlier than vanishing.
She educates herself and marries a robust nobleman so as to wage a vengeful battle towards males — however additional ordeals by the hands of the patriarchy await, together with an tried sexual assault, and a hid abortion.
“Ultimately, little has changed for women” since that point, Vartolomei instructed AFP.
“If it is a timeless story, that’s because it is still relevant, unfortunately,” she stated.
Diane Kruger (“Inglourious Basterds”) performs Valmont’s aunt — a minor character from the novel, expanded right here right into a Machiavellian mentor, who guides our heroine via an aristocratic and libertine apprenticeship.
“Stop smiling so stupidly — only whores let themselves be looked at like that,” she tells her protege within the first episode. “Seduction is nothing. You must learn to control men.”
Palud stated the advanced relationship between these two girls brings a “modernity” to the basic story.
“It’s a bit like the 18th-century MeToo,” she stated.
The sequence examines intercourse as a locus of energy.
It charts how the Marquise de Merteuil makes and breaks reputations on the king’s courtroom.
“What ‘Dangerous Liaisons’ really is, is a schoolyard,” Palud stated, noting parallels with the generally brutal interactions of youngsters on social media right now.
“Online, we can damage people extremely quickly today, and I tried to incorporate things like that into the series,” she stated.
The sequence’s plot ultimately converges with the unique novel, with out reproducing it precisely.
Attracted to one another however too enamored of freedom to surrender their schemes, the marquise and viscount make a harmful gamble.
“We view them a bit as heroes because they appear brave and powerful,” stated Vartolomei.
“But deep down they’re failures, because they deny themselves so many things. They’re so afraid to discover their inner souls, it’s almost absurd.”
She added: “Maybe it’s that absurdity that still resonates today.”
© 2025 AFP