Mauprat

Adapted from George Sand’s eponymous gothic romance, MAUPRAT marks Jean Epstein’s first production under his own banner, Films Jean Epstein. Set in pre-revolutionary France, it tells the tale of Bernard de Mauprat, a feral orphan raised among brigands by his uncle Tristan, only to be drawn into civilisation by his noble cousin Edmée and her upright father Hubert. Filmed in the evocative landscapes of Berry—in the picturesque towns and communes Sainte-Sévère-sur-Indre, Gargilesse-Dampierre and Nohant—Epstein strives for rustic authenticity and lyrical naturalism, pairing atmospheric exteriors with expressive interiors shot at Épinay-sur-Seine. Although more conventional than Epstein’s avantgarde masterpieces, the film brims with quiet idiosyncrasy— sparingly used superimpositions and emotionally charged close-ups bring psychological depth to the protagonists. Sandra Milovanoff’s Edmée is compellingly assertive—the heroine with a “virile soul”, while Bernard, cultured by noble influence, often appears emotionally vulnerable. This inversion of gendered character traits invites an intriguing, proto-feminist reading. Notably,…

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Jean Epstein, France, 1926, 85min, Adapted from George Sand’s eponymous gothic romance, MAUPRAT marks Jean Epstein’s first production under his own banner…