I spoke today with The Princess of Montpensier director-cowriter Bertrand Tavernier at a luncheon thrown on his behalf (and also on behalf of Potiche costars Catherine Deneuve and Judith Godreche) at the Beverly Hills home of the French Consul General. It was my first talent-publicists-and-journalists mixer since arriving in LA a couple of weeks ago, and a pleasant one at that. Thanks to Fredel Pogodin for the invite.

Director Bertrand Tavernier at home of French Consul on Camden Drive in Beverly Hills — Wednesday, 3.9, 1:05 pm.

(l. to r.) Variety‘s Steven Gaydos, TheWrap‘s Sharon Waxman, director Bertrand Tavernier.

It was also good to chat with Princess costar Gaspard Ulliel, who’s only four and five years older, respectively, than my sons Jett and Dylan. I didn’t dare say anything to Deneuve as she can be withering (and because I haven’t seen Potiche). I also spoke with Variety‘s Steven Gaydos, TheWrap‘s Sharon Waxman and Hollywood Reporter‘s Merle Ginsberg.

After sharing the many things I enjoyed and admired about The Princess of Montpensier, Tavernier told me that his reps are starting to shop a “films of my life” documentary along the lines of Martin Scorsese‘s A Personal Journey Through American Movies and My Voyage to Italy. Tavernier is, of course, as much of a devoted and super-knowledgable buff as Scorsese, so a doc of this type, which he said would focus on his many influences within the realm of French cinema as well as beyond, would be absolutely priceless and essential to own.

I also enjoyed speaking with him about the realistic battle and sword-fighting scenes in The Princess of Montpensier, and his decision not to use CG or to indulge in hyper-cutting (in fact to keep cutting to a minimum) in order to allow the audience to actually comprehend the geography and choreography…amazing.