A few weeks ago I fell in love with, and brought your attention to, a French import on Netfllix — “Call My Agent” (Dix Pour Cent) a show-business comedy about a boutique talent agency in Paris that includes in its catalog every French actor you’ve ever heard of.

Remember the way we all gave up our free time and dreams to “Veep?” It wasn’t just our darling Julia Louis-Dreyfus, but Tony Hale, Anna Chlumsky and all of Julia’s team, each a polished character that made it click. Voila — the magic is the “ensemble.”

Now, in French, as I told you when I first wrote about it, we have a “Veep” set in a French talent agency with Camille Cottin, Fanny Sidney, Thibault de Montalembert, and the sensual octogenarian Liliane Rovère, and her terrier, Jean Gabin. In season three, they give us French star Jean Dujardin who won the 84th Oscar for Best Actor in the silent “The Artist,” who delivers to us here, a stunning new character you won’t believe.

But just in case you’ve drifted away to the exciting but sordid “Ozark,” or “Penny Dreadful — City of Angels,” that started strong and went berserk, I feel that I have to bring my Maine francophiles home to the finale of season two, when the agents head to Cannes and the International Film Festival.

Andréa, the tall, gorgeous gay agent guides Juliette Binoche (Yes, Juliette Binoche), the festival host, who must deliver the speech that opens the festival, through a slapstick journey of missteps.

Shot on location at the famed festival, co-creator Dominique Besnehard, the actor and director who is known throughout Europe as the most well known and successful agent in French films considered this one his favorite.

This segment “CANNE” is not only the best so far in the series, but a break-out, stand out one hour classic.

The Cannes-specific episode at the end of season two follows the iconic Juliette Binoche, the French star most known to American moviegoers (“Chocolat” “The English Patient” among others) through an hilarious 24 hours of costume fittings, a blossoming friendship with a huge secret service guard who’s there to guard the million-dollar jewelry collection, and an hour-long attempt to evade the seduction of a powerful film magnet. Watch the final scene with the guard and Juliette.

Unable to wear her beloved Armani tuxedo because a Chinese star is wearing one, Juliette is housed in a too-tight-to-breathe silver and feathered monstrosity she can barely walk in.

This sets up the seconds before the opening when she has to pee. Her agent, Andréa (the show’s star Camille Cottin), takes her on an uproarious dash through the halls of the famous theater that results in … Your moment to enjoy.

It’s important to note that since the show debuted on Netflix, actor Kevin Kline, among others, have called on Besnehard to be considered for the next season, should there be one.

 

J.P. Devine, of Waterville, is a former stage and screen actor.

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