The Well-Digger's Daughter
The Well-Digger's Daughter • 1h 49m
Daniel Auteuil • France • 2011 • Tradition collides with a girl's dreams in mid-century France.
Pascal Amoretti is a poor but dignified man, a widower raising several young daughters. All day he cleans and digs wells while seeking to do right by his family. His beautiful daughter Patricia is being courted by Félipe, an earnest man nearly Pascal’s age—however, she only has eyes for Jacques, an impetuous Air Force pilot occupying a higher social station, as the son of local merchants. When Jacques is called to the front, Pascal must make a decision regarding the fate of his rebellious daughter.
Immersed in the gauzy beauty of the Provençal countryside, The Well-Digger’s Daughter explores the pitfalls of tradition, patriarchy, and female desire in mid-century France. Celebrated actor Daniel Auteuil’s directorial debut premiered at Nantucket and Chicago European Union Film Festival, where it won the Audience Award.