Les choristes (2004)

User Rating:

7.8/10   

Director:

Christophe Barratier

Writers:

Georges Chaperot (1945 story "La Cage aux rossignols") &
René Wheeler (1945 story "La Cage aux rossignols") ...
(more)

Release Date:

17 March 2004 (Belgium)

Genre:

Drama | Music

Plot:

The new teacher at a severely administered boys' boarding school works to positively effect the students' lives through music.

Plot Keywords:

School | Boarding School | Children | Choir | Supervisor

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 11 wins & 21 nominations

Cast

Gérard Jugnot	...	Clément Mathieu
François Berléand	...	Rachin
Kad Merad	...	Chabert
Jean-Paul Bonnaire	...	La Père Maxence
Marie Bunel	...	Violette Morhange
Jean-Baptiste Maunier	...	Pierre Morhange
Maxence Perrin	...	Pépinot
Grégory Gatignol	...	Mondain
Thomas Blumenthal	...	Corbin
Cyril Bernicot	...	Le Querrec
Simon Fargeot	...	Boniface
Théodule Carré-Cassaigne	...	Leclerc
Philippe Du Janerand	...	Monsieur Langlois
Carole Weiss	...	La Comtesse
Erick Desmarestz	...	Le Docteur Dervaux
Paul Chariéras	...	Régent
Armen Godel	...	Le médecin
Monique Ditisheim	...	Le mère Marie
Steve Gadler	...	Assistant Pierre Morhange
Fabrice Dubusset	...	Carpentier
Marielle Coubaillon	...	Madame Rachin
Violette Barratier	...	Fille Rachin 1
Lena Chalvon	...	Fille Rachin 2
Colette Dupanloup	...	La cuisinière
Didier Flamand	...	Pépinot adulte
Jacques Perrin	...	Pierre Morhange adulte
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Michel Caccia	...	(uncredited)

Directed by
Christophe Barratier

Writing credits
Georges Chaperot		(1945 story "La Cage aux rossignols") &
René Wheeler		(1945 story "La Cage aux rossignols")
René Wheeler		(1945 screenplay "La Cage aux rossignols") &
Noël-Noël		(1945 screenplay "La Cage aux rossignols")
Christophe Barratier		(screen story)
Christophe Barratier		(screenplay) &
Philippe Lopes-Curval		(screenplay)

Produced by
Arthur Cohn	....	producer
Léonard Glowinski	....	associate producer
Gérard Jugnot	....	associate producer
Michael Kühn	....	executive producer
Romain Le Grand	....	associate producer
Nicolas Mauvernay	....	producer
Jacques Perrin	....	producer
Ruth Waldburger	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Bruno Coulais

Cinematography by
Jean-Jacques Bouhon
Dominique Gentil
Carlo Varini

Film Editing by
Yves Deschamps

Casting by
Sylvie Brocheré
Agathe Hassenforder

Production Design by
François Chauvaud

Art Direction by
Pierre Ferrari

Set Decoration by
Jean-Pierre Gaillot

Costume Design by
Françoise Guégan

Makeup Department
Sylvie Duval	....	key makeup artist
Odile Fourquin	....	makeup artist
Françoise Fregonese	....	hair stylist
Sylvie Leray	....	key hair stylist (as Silvie Leray)
Fabienne Robineau	....	makeup artist
Christine Vizier	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Christophe Anzoli	....	unit manager
Asen Kanchev	....	music production manager
Bernard Lorain	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Marc Baraduc	....	first assistant director
Catherine Hofer	....	assistant director
Vincent Kaluza	....	trainee assistant director
Romain Kunstlinger	....	trainee assistant director

Art Department
Bernard Beysseriat	....	painter
Stéphane Blanc	....	painter
Henri Castillo	....	head carpenter
Sophie Chandoutis	....	painter
Nicolas Charpin	....	constructor
Vincent Chassaing	....	constructor
Jean-Luc Chauvaud	....	assistant decorator
Fabrice Coudert	....	constructor
Florence de la Maladière	....	painter
Bernard Ducrocq	....	property master
Pascal Fasola	....	painter
Patrice Fasola	....	head painter
Jean-Pierre Gaillot	....	set dresser
Serge Goblet	....	constructor
Grégory Graziani	....	painter
Lazlo Guarguir	....	painter
Rodolphe Heckmann	....	constructor
Guy Lionel	....	painter
Max Magnan	....	storyboard artist
Emmanuel Marthon	....	constructor
Jonathan Muret	....	assistant decorator
Joel Nicolas	....	carpenter (as Joël Nicolas)
Stéphane Renié	....	constructor
Francoise Rouge	....	painter
Jean-Claude Tenes	....	construction manager
Laurent Thevenot	....	painter (as Laurent Thévenot)
Bertrand Vuarnesson	....	carpenter

Sound Department
Hervé Bénard	....	sound recordist
Vladislav Boyadjiev	....	pro-tools technician
Nicolas Cantin	....	boom operator
Nicolas Cantin	....	sound editor
Joseph Catricala	....	foley engineer
Frédéric Cattoni	....	stereo sound consultant: DTS
Pascal Chauvin	....	foley artist
Eric Grattepain	....	foley artist
Gabriel Hafner	....	sound editor
Alexis Leverve	....	sound recordist
Didier Lizé	....	sound engineer
Michel Monnier	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby
Nicolas Naegelen	....	sound mixer
Laurent Peter	....	sound assistant
David Rit	....	boom operator
Hervé Roux	....	stereo sound consultant: DTS
Patrice Séverac	....	post-synchronization
Daniel Sobrino	....	sound editor
Daniel Sobrino	....	sound mixer
Vincent Vatoux	....	sound

Special Effects by
Romain Bretet	....	special effects
Olivier Cohen-Bacri	....	special effects
Nicolas David	....	titles design
Daniel Lenoir	....	special effects
Carol Styczen	....	special effects
Piotr Styczen	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Thierry Ardiller	....	digital compositor
Luc Augereau	....	visual effects producer
Berengere Dominguez	....	visual effects coordinator
Justine Gasquet	....	digital compositor
Frederic Moreau	....	visual effects producer
François Vagnon	....	visual effects supervisor

Camera and Electrical Department
François Andreoletti	....	video assist operator
Nicolas Batisse	....	video assist operator (as Nicolas Bátisse)
Simon Bérard	....	gaffer
Vincent Blasco	....	grip
Jean-Jacques Bouhon	....	additional camera operator
Michel Bubola	....	electrician
Renaud Chassaing	....	additional camera operator
Guillaume Dreujou	....	assistant camera
Nicolas Duchêne	....	assistant camera
Jean-Christophe Duwez	....	electrician
Denis Garnier	....	assistant camera
Nil Henchoz	....	key grip
Hans Krumenacker	....	electrician
Frédéric Lenormand	....	grip
Margot Lestage	....	second assistant camera
Loïc Limosin	....	electrician
Christine Mignard	....	assistant camera
François Perrault-Alix	....	grip
Raphaël Planeix	....	electrician trainee
Philippe Quaisse	....	still photographer
Marie Queney	....	assistant camera
Yves Reymond	....	grip
Piotr Stadnicki	....	first assistant camera

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Christine Civrac	....	wardrobe
Eric Perron	....	costumer
Jean-Pierre Villeneuve	....	costumer

Editorial Department
Frédéric Casnin	....	color timer
Pauline Flamand	....	assistant editor
Alain Guarda	....	color timer
Sophie Voiturin	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Christophe Barratier	....	composer: themes "Cerf-Volant" and "Nous sommes de Fond de l'Etang"
Bruno Coulais	....	conductor
Petits Chanteurs de Saint-Marc	....	choir
Slim Pezin	....	music supervisor
Nicolas Porte	....	conductor: choir

Other crew
Stéphanie Auger	....	production administrator
Nasser Belkalem	....	production coordinator
Sarah Bellwood	....	script consultant
Nicolas Dumont	....	executive production associate
Mickael Georgeault	....	groupman
Magali Herbinger	....	production secretary
Claude Morice	....	production administrator
Frédéric North	....	helicopter pilot
Valentine Perrin	....	assistant: Christophe Barratier
Eva Simonet	....	press attache
Jean-Luc Tesson	....	production assistant
Françoise Thouvenot	....	script supervisor
Karin Tourgeman	....	accountant
Coralie Venière	....	production assistant

Production Companies

• Vega Film
• Banque Populaire Images 4
• CP Medien AG
• Canal+
• Centre National de la Cinématographie (CNC)
• Dan Valley Film AG
• France 2 Cinéma
• Galatée Films
• Novo Arturo Films
• Pathé Renn Productions
• Procirep

Distributors

• Pathé (2004) (France) (theatrical)
• A-Film Distribution (2004) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Alliance Atlantis Vivafilm (2004) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Bontonfilm (2004) (Czech Republic) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (2005) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Cathay-Keris Films (2004) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Constantin Film (2004) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Festive Films (2004) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Kamras Film Group (2004) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Miramax Films (2004) (USA) (theatrical)
• Pathé (2005) (UK) (theatrical)
• Vega Distribution (2004) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Gativideo (2005) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Highlight Film (2005) (Germany) (DVD)
• Medyavizyon (2005) (Turkey) (all media)
• Pathé International (2004) (worldwide) (all media) (sales)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (2006) (Finland) (TV)

Special Effects

• L'Etude et la Supervision des Trucages (L'E.S.T.) (visual effects)

Other Companies

• Aerial Camera Systems  helicopter gyrostabilized camera system
• Bulgarian Symphony Orchestra  film score recording (2004)
• Digison  post-synchronization
• Iris Camera  camera equipment
• Locaflash  electrical equipment
• Nonesuch Records  soundtrack
• S.I.S.  sound editing
• SIF309 Film & Music Productions  film score recording

Also Known As:

The Chorus (UK) (USA)
Chorists (International: English title)
Die Kinder des Monsieur Mathieu (Germany)
The Choir (International: English title)
The Choir Boys (Singapore: English title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some language/sexual references and violence.

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

France | Switzerland | Germany

Language:

French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Switzerland:10 (canton of Zurich) | South Korea:All | Sweden:7 | Argentina:Atp | Australia:M | Finland:K-7 | Germany:6 | Netherlands:MG6 | Singapore:PG | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | UK:12A | USA:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Château de Ravel, Puy-de-Dôme, France

Company:

Vega Film

Trivia:

In 2004, this was the #1 movie at the French box office, with more than 8.6 million admissions.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: As Rachin enters the car and leaves with his family towards the end of the movie, crew members are reflected on the car windows.

Quotes:

Clément Mathieu: [Mathieu finds Pépinot sitting on the stairs] What are you doing down here?
Pépinot enfant: I don't have the right to go upstairs.
Clément Mathieu: What do you mean you don't have the right?
Pépinot enfant: I don't have any money.
Clément Mathieu: What?
Pépinot enfant: I'm not allowed to go upstairs unless I have some money.
Clément Mathieu: Says who?
Pépinot enfant: Mondain.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Phénomania: Les choristes: explication d'un succès (#1.1)" (2005)

Soundtrack:

Vois sur ton chemin

Melodious Chorus

The story is simple. Teacher (Gérard Jugnot) finds job at a school for difficult kids, and using his own love for music, he inspires his pupils to do better. If you have seen movies like The Corn is Green (1945), To Sir With Love(1967), Mr. Holland's Opus (1995), Music of the Heart (1999), etc., this movie is not going to surprise you. However, this is a case where appealing characters and believable situations make the movie a very pleasant viewing experience. Aside from a terrific turn by Jugnot as the teacher, the film's main source of pleasure is its absolutely wonderful ensemble cast of (very) talented young kids. The music in the film is also irresistible. In fact, the music is so beautiful that one is immediately convinced of the possibility that these compositions could change the kids' attitudes. My only complaint is that Director Barratier does not allow the viewer to know a little more about the characters and their motivations. We only know the essential, but the story could have benefited from a more in-depth analysis of the characters' personalities. Anyway, one cannot be too critical of a film that provides endless pleasure. It is a genuinely magical film about the power of art.