Widow Clicquot

The Bioscope is proud to present screenings of 'Widow Clicquot' this August. The true story of those behind the beloved champagne Veuve Clicquot, and how it got its name.

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Widow Clicquot is based on the true story of the “Grande Dame of Champagne,” Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin (1777–1866) who, at the age of 20, became Madame Clicquot after marrying the scion of a winemaking family. Though their marriage was arranged, a timeless love blossomed between Barbe-Nicole and her poetic, unconventional, and erratic husband, François.

In the weeds after her spouse’s untimely death, and now a mother to Clémentine, Barbe-Nicole is still enamoured and enthralled with François’ avant-garde experiments. Named Veuve (the French word for widow) at age 27, she is determined to protect her family’s legacy and boldly challenge the men — as well as the state — set on stripping her of her vineyards.

Telling the tale in retrospect and reflection over a 10-year span from approximately 1797 to 1807, director Thomas Napper entwines a sparkling story of flourishing female entrepreneurship with an account of doomed lovers whose legacy reverberates in the bubbles. A toast to the perseverance of unshakeable women! A toast to Veuve Clicquot!