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The Queen of Versailles

THE QUEEN OF VERSAILLES (Lauren Greenfield, USA, Netherlands, UK, Denmark). 100 minutes. Rating: NNNNN


Lauren Greenfield’s brilliant doc begins as a look at conspicuous consumption, then evolves into something that plays with our sympathies.

Jackie Siegel is a buxom 40-something former beauty queen who’s raising seven children with her septuagenarian husband, David Siegel, owner of a multi-million-dollar time-share business. When we first meet them, they’re constructing a 90,000-square-foot estate modelled on Versailles. Then the economic crisis hits and their empire and home life begin to crumble.

Filming over three years, Greenfield captures remarkable moments – everything from manipulative real estate pitch sessions to shopping sprees and talks with the Siegels’ overworked employees. She’s got a great eye for the telling detail.

Jackie is the most compelling character, bust-revealing outfits and all: smart, generous and totally in love with a man who once joked that when she turned 40 he’d replace her with two 20-year-olds.

May 2, 7 pm, TIFF Bell Lightbox 1 May 3, 9:15 pm, Isabel Bader Theatre May 4, 8:45 pm, Bloor Hot Docs Cinema.

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