Le huitième jour (1996)

Director:

Jaco van Dormael

Writer:

Jaco van Dormael (writer)

Release Date:

7 March 1997 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Plot:

Georges has Down syndrome, living at a mental-institution, Harry is a busy businessman, giving lectures for young aspiring salesmen...

Plot Keywords:

Friendship | Mental Institution | Down's Syndrome | Businessman | Divorce

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 6 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Daniel Auteuil	...	Harry
Pascal Duquenne	...	Georges
Miou-Miou	...	Julie
Henri Garcin	...	Le directeur de la banque
Isabelle Sadoyan	...	Georges' Mother
Michele Maes	...	Nathalie
Fabienne Loriaux	...	Fabienne
Hélène Roussel	...	Julie's mother
Alice van Dormael	...	Alice
Juliette Van Dormael	...	Juliette
Didier De Neck	...	Fabienne's husband
Marie-Pierre Meinzel
Sabrina Leurquin	...	Serveuse du snack
Laszlo Harmati	...	Luis Mariano
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Harry Cleven	...	Educateur
Jean-Henri Compère	...	Educator
Jo De Backer	...	Mannequin
Josse De Pauw	...	Policier
Saleem Ebrahim	...	L'Indien
Olivier Gourmet	...	Homme au restaurant
Christopher Granier-Deferre	...	English Teacher (voice)
Stéphane Keyser
Séréna Ruspoli
André Simon
Laurette Vankeerbergen	...	Nettoyeuse
Alexandre von Sivers	...	'Doc' Harry
Pauline Zerla

Also Known As:

The Eighth Day

Runtime:

118 min

Country:

Belgium | France | UK

Language:

French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Iceland:L | Hong Kong:IIA | South Korea:All | Argentina:13 | Chile:14 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | Spain:13 | Sweden:11 | UK:PG

Filming Locations:

Brussels, Brussels-Capital, Belgium

Company:

Canal+

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Pumpkin (2002)

Soundtrack:

L'Amour est un bouquet de violettes

One of My Favorite Movies!

I saw this film first on my way home from Paris to Newark aboard Air France in August 1996. The film itself I believe is quite a masterpiece. It's the kind of film that people should be making. I still think Daniel Auteuil is one of the sexiest actors around. In this French film, he plays a divorced father and businessman who has lost his zest for life until he across a Down Syndrome man who lives in an institution with other Down Syndrome patients. The actors including the actor who actually has Down Syndrome create a believable friendship and relationship between these two unlikely men. Daniel's life and ours changes forever with the Down Syndrome man. He realizes that life is not just work and not play but for the living and loving and that's what life should be all about. The ending is kind of silly though but I still think it's one of my favorite movies. It's enough to bring a tear to your eye.