Chopin's Dentist (2010)

This documentary follows French dentist, Dr. Philippe Riegert, who has followed in his father's, grandfather's and great-grandfather's footsteps as the local dentist in the village of Ardentes. The nearby village of Nohant is where Chopin lived with his lover - the writer Georges Sand - and Philippe is on a mission to discover whether his great-grandfather was in fact, Chopin's dentist. He has four teeth - that he believes belonged to the composer's - and primitive dental tools that his grand-grand-pere first passed down through the generations. He believes these are vital clues in his quest to discover the truth. Perhaps a DNA test could reveal all? He also has his forebear's diary and pictures of Chopin, which under close scrutiny might show the missing teeth now in Philippe's possession. Philippe takes us to Nohant, the beautiful mansion where Chopin and George Sand lived. We visit some of the places George Sand wrote about. It becomes clear that Philippe is quite captivated by the romance of Chopin's music and the passion of George Sand's words. He is a philosopher at heart - as well as a romantic - and his views on life are refreshing and fascinating. But we discover Philippe also has another love, apart from his French roots, which make him appear like a man divided. While he loves his French life, his wife, Isobel, his friends Robert the woodsman, Olivier the butcher and Guy the rope-maker, his work as the village dentist, there are clues that he also harbours another passion. The pebbles from the English beach in his jardin, even the borough council parking voucher on his car's dash, all reveal his other love - the Sussex seaside town of Worthing. Philippe tells the story of how he came to England as a teenager and stayed with Corinne and John Webb and how he could never forget them. During the course of the documentary, we trace Philippe' attempts to meet Corinne again. Eventually, the Gallic Anglophile and the Webbs are reunited in Worthing. Even if Philippe's great grandfather does not turn out to be Chopin's dentist, his mission to find his former host 'parents' is successful.