Quills

Quills is a 2000 period film directed by Philip Kaufman and adapted from the Obie awardwinning play by Doug Wright, who also wrote the original screenplay. Inspired by the life and work of the Marquis de Sade, Quills reimagines the last years of the Marquis incarceration in the insane asylum at Charenton. It stars Geoffrey Rush as the Marquis de Sade, Joaquin Phoenix as the Abb du Coulmier, Michael Caine as Dr. RoyerCollard, and Kate Winslet as laundress Madeleine Maddie LeClerc.

Quills begins during the Reign of Terror, with the incarcerated Marquis de Sade penning a story about the libidinous Mademoiselle Renard, an aristocrat who meets the preeminent sadist in her executioner.Several years later, the Marquis is confined to the asylum at Charenton, overseen by the enlightened Abb du Coulmier. The Marquis has been publishing his work through laundress Madeleine Maddy LeClerc, who smuggles manuscripts through an anonymous horseman to a publisher. The Marquis latest work, Justine, is published on the black market to great success. Emperor Napolon I Bonaparte orders all copies of the book burned and the author shot, but his advisor, Delben, tempers this contentious idea with one of his own send traditionalist Dr. RoyerCollard to look in at Charenton and silence the Marquis. Meanwhile, the Abb teaches Madeleine to read and write and resists his growing attraction to her. ........

Source: Wikipedia