Le Roi de Paris

Victor Derval, a seasoned performer, is making his way home after a night on stage when he is stopped by Lisa Lanska, a young Hungarian woman who greets him with an intensity that unsettles him. She insists on following his path and offers a mix of adoration and calculated ambition. As Victor tolerates her presence, those around him start to read her in different ways, some seeing a naive fan, others spotting a woman with exacting plans for advancement. The film moves through intimate conversations, quiet tensions, and the shifting power between an older actor and someone eager to break into the spotlight, keeping viewers unsure which of Lisa's faces is true or how Victor's past might shape her aims.

Le Roi de Paris was released in 1995 and directed by Dominique Maillet. The screenplay was written by Jacques Fieschi, Bernard Minoret, and Jérôme Tonnerre, drawing on French theatrical and literary traditions rather than a single source, set in Paris.

The film had a limited commercial profile and did not generate major international box office headlines. Its theatrical run was modest and mainly confined to French distribution, with totals not widely published. It attracted modest attention mainly in specialist circles.

Though not a mainstream classic, Le Roi de Paris has stuck with viewers who follow French drama and fans of Philippe Noiret. It surfaces in discussions about performances that blur stage life and private identity, and collectors of 1990s French cinema single it out for its mood and ensemble cast.

Critics noted the film's quiet suspense and character work, praising Noiret's steady presence and Veronika Varga's ambiguous performance. Themes include ambition, performance versus persona, and the tradeoffs of fame. The film earned modest critical appreciation, particularly for its subtle tone and the way it lets unease build without explicit answers.