L'Auberge Espagnole (2002) L'auberge espagnole (original title)

Director:

Cédric Klapisch

Writer:

Cédric Klapisch

Release Date:

19 June 2002 (France)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance | Drama

Tagline:

They came from Paris, Rome, London and Berlin to... l'Auberge Espagnole ...where a year can change a lifetime.

Plot:

A strait-laced French student moves into an apartment in Barcelona with a cast of six other characters from all over Europe. Together, they speak the international language of love and friendship.

Plot Keywords:

Student | Language | Apartment | English | Love

Awards:

8 wins & 8 nominations

Cast

Romain Duris	...	Xavier
Judith Godrèche	...	Anne-Sophie
Audrey Tautou	...	Martine
Cécile De France	...	Isabelle
Kelly Reilly	...	Wendy (as Keilly Reilly)
Cristina Brondo	...	Soledad
Federico D'Anna	...	Alessandro (as Fédérico D'anna)
Barnaby Metschurat	...	Tobias
Christian Pagh	...	Lars
Kevin Bishop	...	William
Xavier De Guillebon	...	Jean-Michel
Wladimir Yordanoff	...	Jean-Charles Perrin
Irene Montalà	...	Neus (as Irène Montala)
Javier Coromina	...	Juan
Iddo Goldberg	...	Alistair
Martine Demaret	...	Xavier's Mother
Olivier Raynal	...	Bruce
Paulina Gálvez	...	Flamenco Teacher (as Paulina Galvez)
Jacno	...	Xavier's Father
Sylvie Lachat	...	University Secretary
Magali Roze	...	Stewardess
Shilpa Baliga	...	Nurse Miralpeix
Nadala Batiste	...	Neighbor Miralpeix
Pere Sagristà	...	Catalan Teacher (as Père Sagrista)
Pere Abelló	...	Landlord (as Père Abello)
Babou Cham	...	Catalan Student 1
Daniel Grao	...	Catalan Student 2
Iván Morales	...	Catalan Student 3 (as Ivan Morales)
Jacques Royer	...	Erasmus
Mira Wanting	...	Mira (as Mira Herfort Wanting)
Arsène Royer	...	Lars' Son
Sophie Delin	...	Apartment Neighbor
Zinedine Soualem	...	Barman
Pablo Klapisch	...	Xavier as a Child
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Cédric Klapisch	...	Le professeur stressé (uncredited)
Lise Lamétrie	...	La femme au ministère (uncredited)
Sophie Le Tellier	...	(uncredited)
Piero Verzello	...	Catalan boy (uncredited)

Directed by
Cédric Klapisch

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Cédric Klapisch

Produced by
Bruno Levy	....	producer
Jacques Royer	....	line producer

Cinematography by
Dominique Colin

Film Editing by
Francine Sandberg

Casting by
Pep Armengol
Lucy Boulting
Emmanuelle Gaborit

Production Design by
François Emmanuelli

Costume Design by
Anne Schotte

Makeup Department
Gemma Planchadell	....	makeup artist
Manuela Taco	....	key makeup artist

Production Management
Victoria Borrás	....	production manager: Spain
Jacques Royer	....	production manager
Antoine Théron	....	unit manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Lola Doillon	....	first assistant director
Ophélie Gelber	....	second assistant director
Manel Martínez	....	second second assistant director: Spain

Art Department
Marie Cheminal	....	assistant art director

Sound Department
Dominique Dalmasso	....	sound mixer
Cyril Moisson	....	sound
John Soukup	....	sound transfer (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Christophe Belena	....	scan and conforming technician: Duboicolor
Seb Caudron	....	visual effects director
Rip Hampton O'Neil	....	technical director: DuboiColor
Tina Lin	....	scan and conforming technician: Duboicolor
Nicolas Daniel	....	video operator: Duboicolor (uncredited)
François Dupuy	....	digital transfers (uncredited)
Sylvian Fabre	....	Flame artist (uncredited)
Abdel Ali Kassou	....	processing: DuboiColor (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Jérôme Plon	....	still photographer
Salva Castellarnau	....	key grip (uncredited)
Bertrand Etienne	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Frédéric North	....	pilot: camera helicopter (uncredited)

Casting Department
Pep Armengol	....	casting: Spain
Jeanne Millet	....	extras casting
Annette Borgmann	....	casting: Germany (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Jean-René Nébot	....	digital color timer
Jenny Frenck	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Other crew
Sandra Bensadón	....	press attache
Agathe Sallabery	....	script supervisor
Géraldine Toitot	....	administrator
Arno Salters	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Bac Films
• Ce Qui Me Meut Motion Pictures
• France 2 Cinéma
• Mate Films
• Mate Producciones S.A.
• Studio Canal
• Vía Digital

Distributors

• Mars Distribution (2002) (France) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox (2004) (Japan) (theatrical) (Far East)
• Alfa Films (2003) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• BIM Distribuzione (2003) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Christal Films (2003) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Fox Searchlight Pictures (2003) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Frenetic Films (2002) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• New Age Entertainment (200?) (Portugal) (theatrical)
• Paradiso Entertainment (2002) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• TOBIS Film (2003) (Austria) (theatrical)
• TOBIS Film (2003) (Germany) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Fox Searchlight Pictures (2003) (Asia) (subtitled)
• Fox Searchlight Pictures (2003) (Australia) (subtitled)
• Fox Searchlight Pictures (2003) (New Zealand) (subtitled)
• Fox Searchlight Pictures (2003) (Scandinavia) (subtitled)
• Fox Searchlight Pictures (2003) (South America) (subtitled)
• Impuls Home Entertainment (2004) (Switzerland) (DVD)
• Paradiso Home Entertainment (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD) (VHS)
• Universum Film (UFA) (2004) (Germany) (DVD)

Other Companies

• IVC  post-production facilities (digital mastering)

Also Known As:

"L'auberge espagnole" - France (original title)
"Pot Luck" - Canada (English title), UK
"Euro Pudding" - International (English title) (festival title)
"The Spanish Apartment" - USA

MPAA:

Rated R for language and sexual content

Runtime:

122 min | Finland:117 min | Turkey:111 min (TV version)

Country:

France | Spain

Language:

French | Spanish | English | Catalan | Danish | German | Italian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

Iceland:10 | Iceland:LH (video rating) | South Korea:15 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Brazil:14 | Chile:14 | Finland:K-11 | France:U | Germany:6 | Netherlands:AL | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:M18 (re-rating) | Spain:13 | Sweden:7 | Switzerland:12 (canton of the Grisons) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Barcelona, Cataluña, Spain

Company:

Bac Films

Trivia:

In the English subtitles, several sections are purposefully translated incorrectly to preserve the humorous nature of the film. The list of strange names around Paris is changed to "Honolulu, Punxsutawney, Piccadilly, Massachusetts, Saskatoon and Machu Picchu;" and during the scene in which Wendy mispronounces "Xavier n'est pas ici..." the English subtitles say "Xavier eez not here..."

Goofs:

Continuity: When Xavier is going to the hospital for some exams, Jean-Louis shows a set of X-rays of the abdomen but it was an examination of the head.

Quotes:

Xavier:It was like I'd always lived in this mess. Their bickering was like the constant drone in my head since childhood.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in European confusiòn: Making-of 'L'auberge espagnole' (2002) (TV)

Soundtrack:

No Woman No Cry

Highly enjoyable.

Cliché-avoidance is one of this film's main achievements. When you hear a vague outline of the story – Erasmus students of mixed nationalities sharing a flat in Barcelona – you predict a collection of Euro-stereotypes in a farcical tangle. Pas du tout! In fact, it's a finely judged comedy about a young Frenchman, Xavier, trying to make sense of human relationships. There are some excellently observed minor roles (the arrogant French neurologist, the insufferably irrepressible brother of the English girl, Xavier's forlorn mother) and some fine visual humour, especially in the opening scenes mocking the bureacratic complexity of the application procedure. So what does Xavier learn about relationships? Nothing positive. In place of a conventionally happy ending, there is a regrettably portentous finale about `Identity' – Xavier has ‘become' all the friends he made. Nevertheless, this highly enjoyable film deserves its great success. I saw it in Luxembourg with a mixed Euro-audience, who enjoyed themselves hugely and even applauded at the end.