Ma Mère (2004) Ma mère (original title)

Director:

Christophe Honoré

Writers:

Georges Bataille (novel)
Christophe Honoré

Release Date:

19 May 2004 (Belgium)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Based on George Bataille's posthumous and controversial novel: When his father dies, a young man is introduced by his attractive, amoral mother to a world of hedonism and depravity.

Plot Keywords:

Exhibitionism | Island | Canary Islands | Father Son Relationship | Sexual Promiscuity

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Isabelle Huppert	...	Hélène, the Mother
Louis Garrel	...	Pierre, the Son
Emma de Caunes	...	Hansi
Joana Preiss	...	Réa
Jean-Baptiste Montagut	...	Loulou
Dominique Reymond	...	Marthe
Olivier Rabourdin	...	Robert
Philippe Duclos	...	The Father
Pascal Tokatlian	...	Klaus
Théo Hakola	...	Ian
Nuno Lopes	...	The Doctor
Patrick Fanik	...	Eric
Susi Egetenmeier	...	Woman in dunes
Sylvia Johnson	...	Woman of couple

Directed by
Christophe Honoré

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Georges Bataille		novel
Christophe Honoré

Produced by
Paulo Branco	....	producer
Dimitri de Clercq	....	associate producer
Alexander Dumreicher-Ivanceanu	....	co-producer
Gabriele Kranzelbinder	....	co-producer
Bernard-Henri Lévy	....	producer
Stéphane Sorlat	....	associate producer

Cinematography by
Hélène Louvart

Film Editing by
Chantal Hymans

Casting by
Richard Rousseau

Production Design by
Laurent Allaire

Costume Design by
Pierre Canitrot

Makeup Department
Frédéric Balmer	....	assistant makeup artist
Paul de Fisser	....	hair stylist
Delphine Jaffart	....	key makeup artist
Pierre Olivier Persin	....	special makeup effects artist

Production Management
Joaquim Carvalho	....	unit production manager
Laetitia Fèvre	....	production supervisor
Sylvain Monod	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Julie Gouet	....	assistant director
Sylvie Peyre	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Yannick Heuveline	....	assistant decorator
Arnaud Roth	....	first assistant decorator

Sound Department
Jean-Claude Brisson	....	sound
Pascal Despres	....	boom operator
Frédéric Fichefet	....	sound editor
Alexander Koller	....	sound mixer
Bernhard Maisch	....	sound
Joaquim Pinto	....	sound

Camera and Electrical Department
Hugues Espinasse	....	focus puller
Jean-François Hensgens	....	first assistant camera
José Carlos Loureiro	....	grip

Casting Department
Margarida Roberto	....	casting: Portugal

Editorial Department
Elisabeth Legrand	....	first assistant editor
Thomas Treu	....	on-line editor

Other crew
Helena Gonçalves	....	production assistant
Maureen Meyer	....	script supervisor
François Pujol	....	location scout
Charles-Edouard Renault	....	legal counsel

Thanks
Diastème	....	thanks
Gaël Morel	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Gemini Films
• Madragoa Filmes (uncredited)
• Amour Fou Filmproduktion
• Centre National de la Cinématographie (CNC) (participation)
• Audiovisual Consulting
• Canal+ (with the participation of)
• Filmfonds Wien (with the participation of)
• Films du Camélia
• Les Films du Lendemain
• S2 International
• arte France Cinéma
• Österreichischer Rundfunk (ORF) (with the participation of)

Distributors

• Gemini Films (2004) (France) (theatrical)
• Atalanta Filmes (2004) (Portugal) (theatrical)
• Aventi (2005) (France) (DVD)
• Cooperative Nouveau Cinema (2004) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• Italian International Film (2004) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Le Petit Bureau (2009) (France) (theatrical)
• Mongrel Media (2005) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Poool Filmverleih (2007) (Austria) (theatrical)
• TLA Releasing (2005) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Alfa Films (2005) (Argentina) (all media)
• CMV Laservision (2009) (Germany) (DVD)
• Divisa Home Video (2012) (Spain) (DVD)
• Madman Entertainment (2006) (Australia) (DVD)
• Revolver Entertainment (2005) (UK) (all media)
• TLA Releasing (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Transeuropa Video Entertainment (TVE) (2005) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Transeuropa Video Entertainment (TVE) (2005) (Argentina) (VHS)

Also Known As:

"Ma mère" - France (original title)
"My Mother" - International (English title)

MPAA:

Rated NC-17 for strong and aberrant sexual content

Runtime:

110 min

Country:

France | Portugal | Austria | Spain

Language:

French | English | German | Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | Stereo | Stereo (Synchro Film, Austria)

Certification:

Switzerland:18 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:18 (canton of Vaud) | France:16 | Italy:VM18 | UK:18 | USA:NC-17 | Argentina:16 | Australia:R | Canada:18A | Portugal:M/18 | USA:R (cut) | New Zealand:R18

Filming Locations:

Canary Islands, Spain

Company:

Gemini Films

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Caché (Hidden) (2005)

Soundtrack:

Hymn To Love (Hymne à l'amour)

A foul excursion into territories that became, after a certain point, comical.

I can enjoy sexy French movies as much as the next person. But this movie is simply gross, to the point of being almost comical. Its furthest excesses rival in bawdiness the kinds of high jinks you'd expect to see in a Farrelly Brothers movie, but without the jokes. Quite the opposite, this film is pretty dark. It could have been a brooding, beautifully shot, and deeply literary meditation on the tangled emotions, Freudian and otherwise, that run through families. Especially considering Isabelle Huppert, who I'd think I could enjoy watching do almost anything, maybe even eat a live horse or perform an emergency tracheotomy, her beauty and her abilities being so complex, limitless and profound. But I did have trouble watching her do the things she does here -- where the artfulness present in other parts of the movie is left behind and only absurdity remains. Perhaps I'm just a prude.