David Farnor | On 22, Jun 2021

Amazon is inviting everyone to The Mad Women’s Ball this September, with a new film based on Victoria Mas’s debut novel of the same name, published earlier this year.

Directed by Oxygen and 6 Underground star Mélanie Laurent, the film is written by Lauren and Christophe Deslandes, with Laurent also starring. Le Bal des Folles tells the story of a young, radiant and passionate woman, Eugénie, living during the close of the 19th century. As a young woman, Eugénie discovers that she has the special power to hear the dead. After her family discovers her secret, she is taken to La Pitié Salpétrière Hospital without any way of escaping her fate. The hospital is a neurology clinic in Paris run by the famous professor and pioneer of neurology Dr Charcot, where women diagnosed with hysteria, “craziness”, egomania, epilepsy and other types of mental or physical diseases are committed.

Her destiny becomes entwined with that of Geneviève, a nurse at the hospital whose life is passing her by. Their encounter will change both their futures as they will prepare for the annual “Bal des Folles” organised by Dr Charcot at the hospital.

Laurent is joined on screen by Lou de Laâge, Emmanuelle Bercot, Benjamin Voisin, Cédric Khan, Christophe Montenez, Lomane De Dietrich and Grégoire Bonnet. You can see them in action on Friday 17th September, when the film premieres on Amazon Prime Video. Here’s the trailer:

 

The Mad Women’s Ball is available to watch online on Amazon Prime Video as part of a Prime membership or a £5.99 monthly subscription.

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