Part of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association’s mission is to foster greater understanding through world cinema. This year 72 Foreign Language films were submitted for Golden Globes consideration. Here is an overview of one of them.

How many times have you borne witness to somebody showcasing a talent, only to be astonished at how little talent lies before you? Buckle your seat belts and prepare to be comically enthralled with the French farce Marguerite, which takes that premise and weaves a humorous and poignant tale.

First unveiled at the 72^nd Venice Film Festival, this Xavier Giannoli film, set in the opulent French countryside of the 1920s, begins with a rare and much-anticipated charity concert by the socialite Marguerite Dumont (Catherine Frot), where she performs the Queen of the Night aria from Mozart’s The Magic Flute. Through the ears of a young soprano (Christa Theret) and music critic (Sylvain Dieuaide), we are humbled to experience some of the most painful notes ever to ring out of a human mouth. Do we laugh at her? Do we feel sorry for her?

Luckily the terrific performance by Frot allows us to do both and more, but the movie is not just the folly of a wealthy woman. Giannoli examines the social structure of the time; from the appeasement of that proletariat in her employ to those bourgeois who seek to exploit her financially and socially. While Dumont operates from a position of purity and possibly a large dose of naiveté, it is the flawed nature of those around her that allows the film to walk that narrow line between comedy and tragedy.

Giannoli admits that his inspiration for the character came from hearing Florence Foster Jenkins, an East Coast socialite, who despite a total lack of vocal talent managed to fund herself a music career that landed her a performance at Carnegie Hall. Ironically, Stephen Frears will release his version of that cinematic story next year starring Meryl Streep as the title character.