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Ms.President (L'état de Grace, 2006) Director:Pascal Chaumeil Grace Bellanger the first woman elected President of the French Republic. If this position is already difficult for a man, it is much more complicated for a woman: it’s even an obstacle course. Between the Opposition, which doesn’t stop doing low punches, and a husband who doesn’t hold the post of ‘First Gentleman’ very well, the President’s life is very far from being a long quiet river. Episode 1 Three months ago Grace Bellanger was elected President of the French Republic. But the enthusiasm caused by the accession of a woman to the head of the State fell off. Her popularity rating is very low. The First Minister, Victor Tage (André Marcon), harshly eliminated in the first presidential round, wants to take revenge on her and manoeuvres to seize power. To be able to implement easily her program -especially on housing topic on which her campaign was based, she has to work on her image. Episode 2 Catastrophe: Grace, who is 41 and doesn’t have children, finds out that she is pregnant! She is in a terrible dilemma: is a pregnancy compatible with her functions? After having hesitated for a long time, Grace and Xavier (Frédéric Pierrot) decide to keep the baby. The President breaks the news to her staffs dumbfounded who manage to convince her: this pregnancy will be keep as a secret until an efficient communication plan is found. Episode 3 The Opposition flies into a rage with the President’s pregnancy: to mother or to govern, she has to choose. The debate passionate France. Public opinion, encouraged by a few media pushes the president into resigning. Just before a Cabinet, Grace loses her composure and has a violent argument with Victor Tage. The echo of their "clash" terminates in the media thanks to the indelicacy of an unscrupulous advisor. A resounding article evokes a president who is becoming hysterical because of her pregnancy which holds for a sort of post vacancy. Episode 4 Two of Grace’s closest advisors intercept her resignation letter and manage to give faith again to the President. Taking up the torch, she undertakes a project which is close to her heart, the institutions reform, which provokes an immediate outcry in the political class. Grace, who has to face a scandal about her past of businesswoman, doesn’t realize that her husband, Xavier, is more and more uncomfortable with his role of ‘First Gentleman’. He feels excluded of his wife’s life and pregnancy. Episode 5 Xavier regains his strength, revived by his new ambitions. But Grace is quickly informed by the Security Branch of the French Police Force of his secret dealings with the Socialist Party. She flies into a rage because of his naivety: indeed Xavier didn’t understand that her wife’s enemies wanted to reach her precisely when she was trying to clean up the political life. This time, the breakup is effective: Xavier leaves the Elysee. Grace goes on to the offensive again with her institutions reforms by announcing a national referendum about the non-plurality of offices. Episode 6 Grace is hospitalized in Brussels. The baby is safe but the President has to stay laid until the end of her pregnancy. The French Foreign Office manages to move the G8, which should take place in the United States, in Paris. Since the ill-health, Xavier doesn’t reappear so Grace is very upset. Moreover she has to manage her first major international crisis. The ultranationalist President of the Vanuatu Islands claims for the French Huon Islands. A hostage-taking occurs in the Vanuatu French Embassy while the G8 is beginning in Paris.
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