Le Roi danse

Directed by Belgian filmmaker Gérard Corbiau and released in 2000, the France-Belgium-Germany co-production Le Roi danse is adapted from Philippe Beaussant's 1992 biography of Jean-Baptiste Lully. The film follows the Italian-born composer and dancer as he rises at the court of Louis XIV, portraying him as a libertine artist who becomes a natural ally of the Sun King in the monarch's struggles against the Catholic establishment. Alongside Lully's intense personal bond with the king, the story depicts his fruitful collaboration with Molière and his rivalry with the composer Robert Cambert. Starring Benoît Magimel as Lully and Tchéky Karyo as Molière, the costume drama recreates the music and dance world of 17th-century Versailles and earned three César nominations.