Directed and co-written by Pascal Bonitzer (he directed Nothing About Robert (Rien sur Robert), Encore, Petites coupures, and was one of the writers of Benedetta), The Stolen Painting (Le tableau volé) revolves around an Egon Schiele painting. Long assumed destroyed during World War II, the painting turns up in the most unlikely of places: the modest home of a factory worker and his mother, in Mulhouse, Alsace, France.
André Masson (played by Alex Lutz (Guy, Strangers by Night, Le talent de mes amis, Connemara)) is a self-assured, snobby art dealer, who thrives on being disliked saying “it’s good for the neurons”. When he can’t find his glasses, he makes his downtrodden, poorly-treated, creative-with-the-truth intern Aurore (played by Louise Chevillotte (Benedetta, Si nous habitons un éclair, Synonyms, Happening)) read things aloud for him.
André receives a letter from Maître Suzanne Egerman (Nora Hamwawi (Non-Fiction, Just like a woman, L’ex de ma vie, Alice and the Mayor)), a lawyer seeking authentication and valuation of a painting, possibly an Egon Schiele, for a client in Mulhouse.
André’s ex-wife, and close, and possibly only, friend Bettina (played by Léa Drucker (Close, Custody, Last Summer, Incredible but true)) is also an art specialist. They are both convinced that the painting is going to be a fake. When they travel to Mulhouse and see the painting for the first time, their reaction is laughter, which confuses everyone. It turns out that the painting is in fact the real deal and has long been thought destroyed.
The owner of the painting is Martin Keller (Arcadi Radeff (TV series Les indociles, Délits mineurs, and the films Passages and Meanwhile on Earth)), a young factory worker who inherited the painting. After discovering its provenance, he doesn’t want anything to do with it and wants to see it returned to its rightful owners. His lawyer wants to ensure that he gets a share of its worth and implores André to make sure he gets it. Keller doesn’t want money, or for his friends to find out. He does not want his life to change.
The Stolen Painting cast deliver uniformly strong performances, and Léa Drucker is wonderful as always, but it’s Arcadi Radeff’s quietly moving portrayal of Martin Keller that provides the emotional heartbeat. While the art experts orbit in worlds of self-importance and subtle manipulation, Martin’s gentle stoicism and discomfort with both wealth and attention offer a powerful, understated counterpoint. This contrast not only heightens the film’s sense of social and moral difference but also deepens our sympathy for a character who refuses to be swept up in the machinations of others.
Rather than focusing on the mechanics of provenance, theft or authentication, The Stolen Painting explores the peculiarities of the contemporary art world: its egos, its moral ambiguities, and its capacity for both cynicism and idealism. The historical trauma of the Holocaust is, as Bonitzer himself states, “the historical background of the story, but it is not the subject of the film.” Script collaborator Illiana Lolic contributes to the subtle, understated tone of the narrative.
Though the film is labelled a “dramedy,” it leans more towards drama than comedy. The Stolen Painting offers a softly ironic, character-driven humour. It’s more a wry smile than belly laugh, making it a quietly affecting social satire rather than a source of overt hilarity.
The Stolen Painting invites viewers to look beyond the surface, rewarding attention with its nuanced exploration of value and authenticity. In a world obsessed with price tags, this quietly thoughtful dramedy asks us to frame value a little differently because sometimes, the rarest treasures are hidden in plain sight.
4 CROISSANTS
Matilda Marseillaise attended a media preview screening of The Stolen Painting.
The Stolen Painting is known as Auction in other anglophone markets. It is released in Australian cinemas today after making its Australian debut at the Alliance Française French Film Festival 2025 earlier this year. It was released in France on 1 May 2024 under the title Le tableau volé.
Also released in Australian cinemas today is When Fall is coming – read our review here.
