What It's About:

Quiet, remote, and seemingly self-contained, Stephane (Auteuil) is a gifted violin technician who's especially sensitive to the needs of his elite musician clients. He also listens patiently to his slightly older business partner, Maxime (Dussollier), a handsome rake who has left his wife of many years for beautiful, rising young violinist Camille (Beart). But enmity and heartbreak rear their ugly heads as Camille finds herself drawn to the emotionally reserved Stephane.

Why I Love It:

Sautet's "A Heart in Winter" - an intense, beautifully acted drama about a mystifyingly frigid man and the menage a trois he finds himself embroiled in - is a note-perfect rendition of intriguing, intelligent film romance. Beart is smart and seductive as Camille (her authentic renditions of Ravel are the result of a year's training), but it's Auteuil's restrained turn as her baffling, obscure object of desire that lends the film its chilly "je ne sais quoi". Give "Hiver" a little time to thaw, and you'll be amply rewarded.