À pied d’oeuvre

Paul gives up his successful career as a photographer to devote himself to his true passion: writing. However, sales of his books are disappointing, leaving him short on resources and increasingly plagued by doubt.

To make ends meet, he takes on odd jobs as a handyman, which is initially quite sobering but ultimately provides inspiration for his writing. À pied d’œuvre is an intimate portrait of the cost of artistic freedom and the vulnerability of a Parisian artist.

Director and actress Valérie Donzelli (L’amour et les forêts) made her competition debut in Venice with the true-story-based À pied d’œuvre (At Work), where she won the award for Best Screenplay. The French drama is based on the autobiographical bestseller of the same name by Franck Courtès.