encoding problems with xml (MSXML3.0)

The problem is that the following xml document isn't parsed correctly, that is special characters like é, à, ... are not recognized

this is an example of such an xml document:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="iso-8859-1"?>
<NewFilms>
<Film>Frailty</Film>
<Film>Les Pingouins à la rescousse</Film>
</NewFilms>

I'm using the Microsoft XML Parser 3.0 in C++
after creating a ISAXXMLReader and IXMLHTTPRequest object I open the HTTP connection and send the request.
The response is received and parsed as followed:
HRv=pIXMLHTTPRequest->get_responseText(&bstrResponse);
//
// some specific necessairy actions
//
HRprCode=pRdr->parse(_variant_t(bstrResponse));

The output is as followed:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="iso-8859-1"?>
<NewFilms>
<Film>Frailty</Film>
<Film>Les Pingouins ?a rescousse</Film>
</NewFilms>

Why isn't the à correctly parsed ?
(if I use pRdr->parseUrl(...) the document is parsed correctly, but I cant use it now because of the specific necessairy actions that need to be there)

Help me please.

Thanx,

Pieter.