From Merchant Ivory Productions, director James Ivory brings to the screen the story of statesman and Declaration of Independence author Thomas Jefferson (Nick Nolte). The film takes place during the five years Jefferson lived in pre-revolutionary Paris, serving as the American ambassador to France prior to the fall of the Bastille in 1789. JEFFERSON IN PARIS focuses, however, on the personal side of his time there. A widower, he meets beautiful Anglo-Italian artist Maria Cosway (Greta Scacchi), whom he starts to court. When his slave's sister, Sally Hemings (Thandie Newton), joins the family in Paris, Jefferson also begins a relationship with her that would last for many years and would produce, arguably, many children. This passionate affair with his African-descended slave has been the subject of many historical debates and is thought-provokingly rendered in this period drama. Gwyneth Paltrow also stars as Jefferson's daughter, Patsy.