The Libertine

Le Libertin (The Libertine) is a French historical comedy directed by Gabriel Aghion and released in 2000. It is adapted from the 1997 satirical stage play of the same name by Éric-Emmanuel Schmitt, who co-wrote the screenplay with Aghion.

The story is set in 18th-century France and follows the philosopher and writer Denis Diderot. While working on a scandalous chapter about morals and eroticism for his Encyclopédie, Diderot stays as a guest at the estate of an aristocratic family. There he becomes entangled in the lives and desires of his hosts and the women around him, putting his libertine ideas about pleasure and free thought into practice. Meanwhile, religious authorities are on his trail, determined to suppress his irreverent writings. Vincent Perez stars as Diderot, with Michel Serrault as the Cardinal and Fanny Ardant as Madame Therbouche. Blending period costume with cheeky humour, the film offers a playful portrait of Enlightenment-era France, where intellectual daring collides with hypocrisy and censorship.