L'adversaire (2002)

Director:

Nicole Garcia

Writers:

Frédéric Bélier-Garcia (writer)
Emmanuel Carrère (novel)
(more)

Release Date:

28 August 2002 (France)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

Plot:

When a man murders his wife, children and parents, the ensuing investigation reveals that he's been living a lie for almost 20 years. |

Plot Keywords:

Murder | Unemployment | Fraud | United Nations | Geneva Switzerland

Awards:

4 nominations

Cast

Daniel Auteuil	...	Jean-Marc Faure
Géraldine Pailhas	...	Christine Faure
François Cluzet	...	Luc
Emmanuelle Devos	...	Marianne
Alice Fauvet	...	Alice
Martin Jobert	...	Vincent
Michel Cassagne	...	Le père de Jean-Marc
Joséphine Derenne	...	La mère de Jean-Marc
Anne Loiret	...	Cécile
Olivier Cruveiller	...	Jean-Jacques
Nadine Alari	...	La mère de Christine
Nicolas Abraham	...	Xavier
Bernard Fresson	...	Le père de Christine
François Berléand	...	Rémi
Muriel Amat
Arié Arichi
Humbert Balsan	...	Dr. Michel Philippot
Marie Barronet
Anne Benoît
Roberto Bestazzoni
Sibylle Blanc
Sylvie Blotnikas
Patricia Bopp
Catherine Chevallier
Paola Comis
Maimouna Coulibaly
Catherine Epars
François Germond
Arnaud Guenet
Valérie Kéruzoré
Jean-Claude Leguay	...	Le magistrat à la déposition
Judith Marouani
Bernard Nissile
Christian Pageault
Hubert Saint-Macary	...	Dr. Lantier
Ian Smith
Marc Tissot
Théodule Carré-Cassaigne	...	Child (as Théodul Carré-Cassaigne)
Zéphirin Carré-Cassaigne	...	Child
Zoé Carré-Cassaigne	...	Child
Corentin Daumas	...	Child
Florent Delaunoy	...	Child (as Florian Delaunoy)
Romain Dreyfus	...	Child
Augustin Jacquet	...	Child
Audrey Lavirotte	...	Child
Aristide Renting	...	Child
Isidore Renting	...	Child
Pippa Schallier	...	Child
Fanny Winter	...	Child
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Sébastien Thiery	...	Family member (uncredited)

Directed by
Nicole Garcia

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Frédéric Bélier-Garcia		writer
Emmanuel Carrère		novel
Jacques Fieschi		writer
Nicole Garcia		writer

Produced by
Christine Gozlan	....	executive producer
Andres Martin	....	associate producer
Alain Sarde	....	producer
Ruth Waldburger	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Angelo Badalamenti

Cinematography by
Jean-Marc Fabre

Film Editing by
Emmanuelle Castro

Casting by
Frédérique Moidon

Production Design by
Véronique Barnéoud

Art Direction by
Thierry Flamand

Costume Design by
Nathalie du Roscoat

Makeup Department
Patrick Girault	....	key hair stylist

Production Management
Jean-Jacques Albert	....	production manager
Helene Glabeke	....	post-production supervisor
François Menny	....	unit manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Marie Barronet	....	third assistant director
Olivier Horlait	....	first assistant director
Joseph Rapp	....	second assistant director
Charles Senard	....	second second assistant director

Art Department
Stéphane Cressend	....	property master
Jacky Hardouin	....	carpenter
Gilles Tissot	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Jean-Pierre Duret	....	sound
Dominique Eyraud	....	boom operator
Stéphanie Granel	....	sound
Eric Grattepain	....	foley artist
Jean-Pierre Laforce	....	sound
Nicolas Moreau	....	sound
Stephane Rabeau	....	conform editor
Annick Raoul	....	dialogue editor
Stéphane Thiébaut	....	sound re-recording mixer

Camera and Electrical Department
Blaise Bauquis	....	grip
Emilie de la Hosseraye	....	still photographer
Nicolas Le Gal	....	assistant camera
Benjamin Speyer	....	crane technician
Christian Weyers	....	gaffer

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Tess Hammami	....	costumer

Editorial Department
Nicolas Criqui	....	digital conformation
Isabelle Julien	....	color timer
Carlos Pinto	....	apprentice editor
Philippe Reinaudo	....	digital intermediate technical director

Music Department
Valérie Lindon	....	music producer

Other crew
Marie-Jo Duchemin	....	production assistant
Agnès Feuvre	....	script supervisor
Charles Senard	....	additional location scout: Paris

Production Companies

• Canal+
• Federal Office for Culture
• France 3 Cinéma
• Les Films Alain Sarde
• Pauline's Angel
• Sofica Image 8
• Télévision Suisse-Romande (TSR)
• Vega Film
• Vértigo Films
• Vía Digital

Distributors

• Alfa Films (2003) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Bac Films (2002) (France) (theatrical)
• Cinema Mondo (2002) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Nexo (2003) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Paradiso Entertainment (2003) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Vega Distribution (2002) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Alliance Atlantis Home Video (2004) (Canada) (DVD)
• Europa Filmes (2004) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Europa Filmes (2004) (Brazil) (VHS)
• KinoVista (2008) (Algeria) (TV)
• KinoVista (2008) (Morocco) (TV)
• KinoVista (2008) (Tunisia) (TV)
• Pan Vision Oy (2003) (Finland) (DVD) (VHS)
• Paradiso Home Entertainment (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD) (VHS)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (2007) (Finland) (TV) (TV1)

Also Known As:

El adversario (Spain)
The Adversary (International: English title)

Runtime:

129 min

Country:

France | Switzerland | Spain

Language:

French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Netherlands:16 | Argentina:16 | Finland:K-15 | France:-12 | Sweden:15 | Brazil:14

Company:

Canal+

Trivia:

Based on a true story, that of Jean-Claude Romand, who on January 9, 1993, killed his wife, two children and both his parents.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Pourquoi (pas) le Brésil (2004)

this is a lie

A first rate actress, Nicole Gacia also produced films of varying quality: "Un Week-End Sur Deux" (1990) was a estimable piece of work but its follow-up "le Fils Préféré" (1994) got bogged down in a river of clichés. These two works revealed Garcia's strong interest for the family and "L'Adversaire" revives her fascination for it. It is sourced from Emmanuel Carrère's novel which is a true story. On the 09th January 1993, Jean Claude Romand killed his wife, children and parents because he was about to be unmasked. The investigation will reveal that he wasn't a doctor but an impostor who had been lying for eighteen years. The female director changed the names but kept the thread of the last moments of this extreme story.

Nicole Garcia walks away with honors and respect of a story which was difficult to shot in its entirety: how to assess a solitary, absent, tormented life of an unfathomable man with elusive thoughts facing the others? Some moments were also unimaginable (the killing of the children but with an accurate sense of directing, by keeping a low profile, by highlighting the somber scenery when her hero is all alone without extreme effects, the female director makes us really feel the loneliness of this mysterious man who just confides his secrets to a videotape. What increases the malaise is that Garcia removed any explanation or even little clues likely to shed light on his demeanor. With Faure's nonsensical actions and as the tragedy looms, the viewer will learn some astounding facts about his past like his refusal to pass his medicine exams in his second year at university.

Daniel Auteuil is like good wine: he improves with age and "l'Adversaire" bears witness of it. He's just mind-boggling and it's impossible not to remain indifferent to this incredible experience which really happened.