Fear and Trembling (2003)
"Stupeur et tremblements" (original title)

A Belgian woman looks back on her year at a Japanese corporation in Tokyo in 1990. She is Amélie, born in Japan, living there until age 5. After college graduation, she returns with a ... See full summary »

Director:

Alain Corneau

Writers:

Amélie Nothomb (novel), Alain Corneau (scenario)

Stars:

Sylvie Testud, Kaori Tsuji, Tarô Suwa

5 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview:
Sylvie Testud	...	Amélie
Kaori Tsuji	...	Fubuki
Tarô Suwa	...	Monsieur Saito
Bison Katayama	...	Monsieur Omochi
Yasunari Kondo	...	Monsieur Tenshi
Sokyu Fujita	...	Monsieur Haneda
Gen Shimaoka	...	Monsieur Unaji
Heileigh Gomes	...	Amélie enfant
Eri Sakai	...	Fubuki enfant

Storyline

A Belgian woman looks back on her year at a Japanese corporation in Tokyo in 1990. She is Amélie, born in Japan, living there until age 5. After college graduation, she returns with a one-year contract as an interpreter. The vice president and section leader, both men, are boors, but her immediate supervisor, Ms. Mori, is beautiful and trustworthy. Amélie's downfall begins when she speaks perfect Japanese to clients. She compounds her failure by writing an excellent report for an enterprising colleague. The person she least expects to stab her in the back exposes her work. Thus begins her humiliations. What can become of her and of her relationship with Ms. Mori and with Japan?

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Plot Keywords:

japan | japanese | corporation | 1990s | interpreter | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Official Sites:

Cinema Guild [us] Official Site [fr]

Country:

France Japan

Language:

French Japanese

Release Date:

12 March 2003 (France)

Also Known As:

Din japanske kollega

Filming Locations:

Kyoto, Japan

Company Credits

Production Co:

Canal+, Divali Films, France 3 Cinéma

Technical Specs

Runtime:

107 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Goofs

In the copying room, the hands of the clock on the wall behind Amelie do not move first at all, even though several minutes should have passed. A couple of hours later they are shown to have moved.

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Connections

Features Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence (1983)

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Soundtracks

"Goldberg Variations"
(selections)
Written by Johann Sebastian Bach
Performed by Pierre Hantai, harpsichord

User Reviews

Imagination is highly required!!!

Fear and Trembling seldom changed scenes; everything happened in the office building, but it will be a big mistake to describe this film as dull, unimaginative, boring, monotonous or a dry one. On the contrary, it is quite an imaginative and interesting movie. Amelie, a Belgian girl who is obsessed with her Japanese childhood memories, decided to go back to work at the place where she's born. And here began with her miserable office work life. The only way out is her wild imagination!!!

This is quite a universal issue, absurd, preposterous, ridiculous, strange, unfair, unreasonable things do happen in offices whether it's in Asia, Europe or in America. Your supervisor gives you stupid work just to prove that you are inferior to her/him, never ever giving thought to the benefits of the whole company. Try to find a decent job to demonstrate your skills or to make people you work with recognize your abilities are just some silly and naive notions for newcomers. You can hardly achieve any self-achievements, self-fulfillments or whatsoever while you have supervisors and colleagues. The only survival kit is taking the whole thing as a joke and using wild imagination to play along with other coworkers, just like what Amelie did!!!

Fear and Trembling gives you a glimpse of what happen in the offices, how foolish obsession will lead you, how culture differences play a big role in a foreign environment, and of course how and what you can do to face them bravely.

This film is highly recommended to those who were, are and will work with others in the office!! You will see that imagination is highly required for those who want to survive in an office work life!!!