Based on Joseph Conrad’s short story, The Return, Patrice Chéreau’s Gabrielle faithfully adapts the writer’s brilliant piece of prose into a visual and narrative delight. Re-creating turn-of-the-century France with superb attention to detail, Chéreau casts an unrelenting gaze on the events that overwhelm a seemingly happily married couple. In the opening sequence, Jean Hervey (Pascal Greggory) descends from a train and reflects on the sturdiness of his life, but it’s not long before his self-satisfaction is rudely shattered as he discovers a letter from his wife, Gabrielle (Isabelle Huppert). The contents of the message will cause his sense of security to crumble and plunge him into newfound feelings of vulnerability and abandonment. The combination of atmospheric settings, ardent performances, and painterly camera work makes Gabrielle a magical and absorbing piece of cinema. Description adapted from Piers Handling, Toronto International Film Festival.