Wild Reeds (1994) Les roseaux sauvages (original title)

Director:

André Téchiné

Writers:

André Téchiné
Olivier Massart
(more)

Release Date:

10 May 1995 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

In a village in the Southwest of France, 1962. Maite and Francois are 18 years old. They are friends...

Plot Keywords:

Algeria | Homosexual | Classroom | Friend | Cigarette Smoking

Awards:

8 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Élodie Bouchez	...	Maïté Alvarez
Gaël Morel	...	François Forestier
Stéphane Rideau	...	Serge Bartolo
Frédéric Gorny	...	Henri Mariani
Michèle Moretti	...	Madame Alvarez
Jacques Nolot	...	Monsieur Morelli
Eric Kreikenmayer	...	Pierre Bartolo, the Groom
Nathalie Vignes	...	Irène, the Bride
Michel Ruhl	...	Monsieur Cassagne
Fatia Maite	...	Aicha Morelli
Claudine Taulère	...	Nurse
Elodie Soulinhac	...	Colette, Girl at Party
Dominique Bovard	...	Guard
Monsieur Simonet	...	Guard
Chief Officer Carre	...	Officer
Paul Simonet	...	Monsieur Bartolo
Charles Picot	...	Headmaster
Christophe Maitre	...	Gym Instructor
Bordes Fernand Raouly	...	Madame Bartolo
Michel Voisin	...	Justice of the Peace
Denis Bergonhe	...	Gas Station Attendant

Directed by
André Téchiné

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Olivier Massart
Gilles Taurand
André Téchiné

Produced by
Georges Benayoun	....	producer
Chantal Poupaud	....	associate producer
Paul Rozenberg	....	associate producer
Alain Sarde	....	producer

Cinematography by
Jeanne Lapoirie

Film Editing by
Martine Giordano

Casting by
Jacques Grant
Michel Nasri

Production Design by
Pierre Soula

Set Decoration by
Pierre Soula

Costume Design by
Elisabeth Tavernier

Makeup Department
Marie-Lou Dorion	....	assistant hair stylist
Marie-Lou Dorion	....	assistant makeup artist
Youssef Ferhat	....	key hair stylist
Youssef Ferhat	....	key makeup artist

Production Management
Jean-Jacques Albert	....	production manager
Olivier Garabedian	....	assistant unit manager
Fabien Pondevaux	....	assistant production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Denis Bergonhe	....	assistant director
Anne-Isabelle Estrada	....	second assistant director
Jean-Pascal Hattu	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Leonardo Haertling	....	property master
Agnès Lévy	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Yunus Acar	....	boom operator
François Groult	....	sound
Pierre Lorrain	....	sound
Jean-Luc Marino	....	sound editor
Jean-Paul Mugel	....	sound
Brigitte Taillandier	....	sound assistant
Bruno Tarrière	....	sound mixer
Véronique Tiron	....	sound assistant

Stunts
Alain Figlarz	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Thomas Bataille	....	second assistant camera
Germain Desmoulins	....	camera operator
Claude Raymond Ditivon	....	still photographer
Nicolas Dixmier	....	gaffer
Aleksander Kaufmann	....	first assistant camera

Editorial Department
Catherine Schwartz	....	assistant editor

Other crew
Christel Grossenbacher	....	production secretary
Claudine Taulère	....	script supervisor

Production Companies

• Ima Films (co-production)
• Les Films Alain Sarde (co-production)
• Canal+ (participation)
• IMA Productions (in association with) (as Ima Productions)
• La Sept-Arte (in association with) (as La Sept / Arte)
• Société Française de Production (SFP) (in association with) (as Sfp production)
• Centre National de la Cinématographie (CNC) (participation)

Distributors

• Pan Européenne Distribution (1994) (France) (theatrical)
• StudioCanal (2006) (France) (DVD)
• Prooptiki (1995) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Strand Releasing (1995) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Fox Lorber Home Video (1997) (USA) (DVD) (subtitled)
• Kinokuniya (2002) (Japan) (DVD)
• Panorama Distributions (2010) (Hong Kong) (DVD)
• Prooptiki Video (1996) (Greece) (VHS)
• Vértigo Films (Spain)
• Vídeo Arte (Brazil) (video)

Other Companies

• Auditel  sound editing
• Car Grip Films  grip
• Chevereau  camera equipment provided by
• D.C.A.  sound transfer
• Kodak  color
• Les Audis Jackson  auditorium
• Microfilms  titles and opticals
• Pyral  sound stock
• S.G.A.C. Bellan  insurance (as SGAC BELLAN & Cie)
• Studio Lincoln  post-synchronisation

Also Known As:

"Les roseaux sauvages" - France (original title)
"The Wild Reeds" - International (English title) (festival title)

Runtime:

110 min | UK:115 min

Country:

France

Language:

French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby | Dolby SR

Certification:

Germany:12 | Portugal:M/16 (Qualidade) | Spain:13 | UK:15 | Australia:M | USA:Not Rated

Company:

Ima Films

Trivia:

After his brother's funeral, Serge is speaking with Maïté, and he tells her that he likes her hair because it reminds him of Françoise Hardy. Hardy is a French singer and actress, more famous for her singing, whose first recordings were released in 1962, which is the time setting for this film, when hardy would have been approximately the same age as the main characters, 18 years old. One of her first recordings, "Tous les garçons et les filles" was a major hit in France in 1962, selling over one million copies, and was awarded a gold record. Even though there was a reference to Hardy in the script, Hardy's songs were not part of the sound track, and she did not appear in the film (her first acting credit was the following year, 1963).

Goofs:

Anachronisms: One of the songs featured at the party which Maïté and François go to after the movie is "Barbara Ann" by The Beach Boys, which was recorded and released in the fall of 1965, a full three years after the 1962 time setting for this movie.

Quotes:

Serge Bartolo:The death of a brother is tough. I thought I'd die. But there is something even tougher, tougher than war. It's that life goes on.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Fluffer (2001)

Soundtrack:

Barbara Ann

A complex and graceful drama - among the finest French dramas of the 90s

On all fronts WILD REEDS is a top-notch drama - offering a look into the lives of 4 teenagers at a boarding school in rural France in the early 60s, this film is complex and immaculately well-made. Unusual in films depicting adolescence, WILD REEDS is complex and sophisticated, respectful of its' characters' varying sexualities (and their struggles to accept same), while also offering other glimpses of their intelligence and growing independence: views on the Algerian war, which was then raging, and on communism (with one character defined as communist, and another as an ardent anti-communist). The lush cinematography is summery and beautiful throughout, and the cast (most whom have gone on to other notable films) is great throughout.

Techine's direction gives the many strands of this story a great, personal feel - the shoe store scene stands out as an honest depiction of an individual recognizing and trying to accept his sexuality, and attempting to identify other gay people, as a way of lessening isolation, and in an attempt at spontaneously finding some sort of role model. Very thoughtful and very well-made.