Winner of the FIPRESCI Prize in Un Certain Regard at Cannes this year, The Minister follows Bertrand Saint-Jean (Olivier Gourmet), whose brief is Transport, as he deals with crises both political and personal, and the price of high office. Assisted by Private Secretary Gilles (Michel Blanc) and publicist Pauline (Zabou Breitman), Saint-Jean must negotiate the treacherous power plays of his fellows in government while trying to hold steady to his principles, all the while adapting his public persona to suit each new occasion as it arises, and maintain his credibility in the eyes of the voters. Given the number of threads to the story, Schoeller deals with its complexity admirably, never losing sight of the man at its heart, greatly aided by Gourmet’s sympathetic performance as the beleaguered politician.<