Maîtresse (Mistress in the english version) is a 1975 French film directed by Barbet Schroeder, starring Bulle Ogier and, in one of his earliest leading roles, Gérard Depardieu. Looking for a measure of affection and companionship, Olivier (Depardieu) crosses the path of the lovely Ariane (Ogier). She happens to be a professional dominatrix-and from the evidence we’re presented, she’s one of the most accomplished of her ilk. How this mismatched relationship can possibly work is the core of Maîtresse. The film provoked controversy in the United Kingdom and the United States because of its graphic depictions of sado-masochism.
