Roger Planchon directed this French-Spanish biographical drama about artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (Regis Royer). Accepted at the Beaux-Arts painting classes in Paris, Lautrec loses his virginity to an artist's model and then falls into an affair with painter Suzanne Valadon (Else Zylberstein). When she leaves him, Lautrec turns to absinthe, contracts venereal disease, and dies at age 37. Although little of his art is seen in the film, some scenes are designed to parallel both his pictures and the images of the Impressionists. Shown at the 1998 Venice Film Festival and the 1998 Toronto Film Festival.~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide