On October 14, 1793 Marie-Antoinette was brought before the Revolutionary Tribunal to face a catalogue of her sins, many of the accusations were false. But, the Public Prosecutor, Fouquier-Tinvelle was not concerned with the truth, high on his list was a charge of immorality founded on gossip by the Queens enemies.

Marie-Antoinette had been held in prison for more than a year, and since the previous August had been held in solitary confinement. Two days after the so-called trial, at the age of 38, she was executed by guillotine, proud and defiant to the last. Many films have been made about her life, most notably the 1938 film, Marie-Antoinette, in which she was played by Norma Shearer.

The new film Farewell My Queen is set in 1789, and portrays events leading up to the Revolution at the Palace of Versailles. Life goes on as usual at the Court, relatively unconcerned about the rumours of turmoil in Paris. We see the events that led up to the execution of Marie-Antoinette through the eyes of young Sidonie Laborde, a young servant who reads aloud to the Queen. When the news of the storming of the Bastille reaches the Court many of the aristocrats flee in terror, abandoning the Queen and her family, but Sidonie, loyal to the last, stays with Marie-Antoinette.

Little does she think that these will be her last three days in the service of the Queen whom she has grown to love. Farewell My Queen is based on the book, Les Adieux a la Reine by Chantal Thomas, Diane Kruger plays Marie-Antoinette, but it is Lea Seydoux as Sidonie Laborde who steals the film with a very touching performance, the film was chosen to open the 62nd Berlin International Film Festival in February 2012. Fermoy Film Club continue their season of films with a showing of Chinatown in Fermoy Community Youth Centre tonight, January 24 at 7.30pm.