Jean Renoir's heralded masterpiece Une Partie de Campagne almost never saw the light of day. Finally completed in 1936 after a halting production schedule, it was held back by the studio before its eventual release, ten years later in 1946. Now, Renoir's adaptation of Guy Maupassant's short story is recognised as one of the filmmaker's finest creations, and a forerunner to the French New Wave movement.
On an idyllic day in the country, a family, consisting of a father, mother, their daughter Henriette and her fiance Anatole gather for a restful picnic. As father and Anatole wile away the hours fishing, mother and Henriette become the objects of desire for two charming men. Against all her best judgement, Henriette finds herself succumbing to an all-too-brief romantic encounter which leaves her subtly yet undeniably changed.
In Une Partie de Campagne, Renoir creates a lyrical and bittersweet hymn to the beauty and majesty of nature.

Special Features:
Un Tournage à la Campagne - a feature length documentary on the making of the film
La Direction d'acteur par Jean Renoir - a revealing demonstration of Renoir?s working method
Audio Commentary by Dr. Anna Dzenis, Associate Lecturer in Film Studies, La Trobe University and Dr. Rick Thompson, Senior Lecturer in Film Studies, La Trobe University
Insert booklet by Ian Johnston, film writer whose work has appeared in THE FILM JOURNAL and BRIGHT LIGHTS FILM JOURNAL