It is true that Swiss director Claude Goretta is considered a major figure in the history of Swiss cinema but his contributions to world cinema have also been acknowledged by critics as well as viewers. He is primarily known for depicting Swiss realities in his films. However, there are occasions when he has portrayed French realities with acclaimed French actors namely Gérard Depardieu, Marlène Jobert, Isabelle Huppert, Nathalie Baye etc. La Provinciale is a film about loneliness in an urban milieu which has taken its toll on people of both sexes. It is a tough situation as there is no solution in sight and people have accepted their vulnerabilities. Although the film is based on the tough life of a woman building illustrator, the portrayal of loneliness is so intense that it affects everybody in Paris. This is one reason why Goretta shows that regardless of their wealth, a lot of rich men are lonely. Apart from loneliness, Goretta also depicts the hollowness of acting profession wherein a talented actress is made to compromise her dignity as she is facing tough times despite having a family which can be called her own. While watching this film, to a certain extent, one would get the impression that a woman can understand another woman's problems better. However, it is revealed that this is not true in real life as every person has own priorities. The choice of actors is nice as Bruno Ganz, Angela Winkler and Nathalie Baye immerse themselves totally in their respective roles. Lastly, 'La Provinciale' is purely a film for the admirers of art cinema as there is hardly anything commercial about it.
