BROTHERHOOD OF THE WOLF
LE PACTE DES LOUPS



France, 2001, 143 min, color

A French legend tells about the Beast of Gevaudan - a huge, werewolf-like monster, responsible for the violent deaths of over 100 persons in the 18th century. The film blends the lore of a story of two men who set out to capture it. Several mutilated corpses are found across the French countryside, and the King dispatches Chevalier Gregoire de Fronsac to find the animal responsible for the killings. Gregoire's assignment leads him to Marianne de Morangias, the lovely daughter of a wealthy count. Gregoire receives a chilly welcome from her brother Jean-Francois, who has already lost a limb to the creature stalking the countryside and is determined to kill it. Gregoire arrives in the village of Gevaudan, but here he falls prey to the animalistic allure and supernatural powers of Sylvia.

"Gans draws creatures torn between good and evil and does not hesitate to claim that love is a weapon, friendship is a talisman, and treason is not fatally unavoidable. Contrary to other directors that bet everything on the visuals, Christophe Gans uses the potential of the rich screenplay and interesting characters."