The Romance of Astrea and Celadon

A fabulous tale of love, heartbreak and cross-dressing among young shepherds and nymphs in fifth-century Gaul from Eric Rohmer. The story is simple and engaging: dark, dusky-eyed Celadon (Andy Gillet) throws himself in the river when blond-tressed lover Astrea (Stéphanie Crayencour) rejects his protestations of innocence of infidelity, but survives to receive a fundamental sentimental education, not least at the sensuous hands of a party of diaphanous nymphs. But, as ever with Rohmer, its tale of innocence and experience, fidelity, self-delusion and social constraint is deepened by a script of the subtlest construction, and performances of straightforward emotional truth.