Nominated for 11 César Awards, the latest film from writer-director Claude Miller (Little Lili, Class Trip The Little Thief), The Secret is an adaptation of Philippe Grimbert's best selling novel and stars Cécile De France (Switchblade Romance, The Singer), Patrick Bruel (El Lobo), Ludivine Sagnier (Swimming Pool, Little Lili), Julie Depardieu (A Very Long Engagement, The Witnesses) and Mathieu Amalric (The Diving Bell and The Butterfly, The Heartbeat Detector) in a compelling account of a 15-year-old boy who unearths a shocking family secret.

The story spans half a century and begins in 1985 as 37-year-old Parisian, François Grimbert (Amaric), is informed that his elderly father has gone missing following the accidental death of his beloved pet dog. The event triggers François' memories of 1955, and his childhood as the introverted and sickly son (played by Valentin Vigourt) of champion swimmer Tania (De France) and the equally athletic Maxime (Bruel), whose disappointment in his son is more than palpable.

The young François' only companions are an imaginary brother who, in his mind, is the son his father really wanted, and the much older Louise (Depardieu), a masseuse and close family friend who owns the salon opposite his family's clothing and haberdashery story. After François discovers a toy dog in the attic that sparks an unexpectedly hostile and upsetting reaction from his parents, he manages to pull a long-hidden truth from Louise regarding his family's history. Louise's revelations take François back to pre-war Paris, 1936, when his father Maxime was engaged to a young woman named Hannah (Sagnier), whose brother, Robert (Robert Plagnol), is married to the beautiful fashion model, Tania. But casting shadows over all their lives are Adolph Hitler's gradual rise to power and Maxime's reluctance to acknowledge his Jewish heritage over his Gallic pride...

A beautifully envisioned and heartfelt film about one man's search for identity and his reconciliation with his family's tragic past, A Secret was described by The Daily Mail as "lush and haunting" and The Observer as "a gripping story, extremely well acted," while The Times chipped in with "The elegance and intelligence with which Claude Miller marshals his themes makes for a beautiful film… Cecile De France and Patrick Bruel are flawless in performance and looks."

If you missed the film's theatrical run then you'll get the chance to judge for yourself when it arrives on UK DVD on 6th October 2008 from Arrow Films at the RRP of £17.99. Special features will include 'The Making of A Secret' featurette and the original theatrical trailer.