Gabrielle (2005)

User Rating:

6.0/10   

Director:

Patrice Chéreau

Writers:

Patrice Chéreau (written by) &
Anne-Louise Trividic (written by) ...
(more)

Release Date:

9 September 2005 (Italy)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Plot:

The marriage between Gabrielle and Jean begins to fray after the discovery of a letter that belongs to Gabrielle.

Plot Keywords:

Love | Letter | Marriage | Park | Humiliation

Awards:

3 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Isabelle Huppert	...	Gabrielle Hervey
Pascal Greggory	...	Jean Hervey
Claudia Coli	...	Yvonne
Thierry Hancisse	...	The Editor-in-Chief
Chantal Neuwirth	...	Madeleine
Thierry Fortineau	...	Guest
Louise Vincent	...	Guest
Clément Hervieu-Léger	...	Guest
Nicolas Moreau	...	Guest
Rinaldo Rocco	...	The Consul
Xavier Lafitte	...	Guest
Maï David	...	Maid
Jeanne Herry	...	Maid
Aude Léger	...	Maid
Raina Kabaivanska	...	La cantatrice
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Florent Bigot de Nesles	...	Invité (uncredited)
Philippe Calvario	...	Guest (uncredited)

Directed by
Patrice Chéreau

Writing credits
Patrice Chéreau		(written by) &
Anne-Louise Trividic		(written by)
Joseph Conrad		(novel "The Return")

Produced by
Patrice Chéreau	....	producer
Ferdinanda Frangipane	....	co-producer
Joseph Strub	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Fabio Vacchi

Cinematography by
Eric Gautier

Film Editing by
François Gédigier

Casting by
Pascale Béraud
Mirta Guarnaschelli

Production Design by
Olivier Radot

Costume Design by
Caroline de Vivaise

Makeup Department
Fabienne Bressan	....	key hair stylist
Thi Thanh Tu Nguyen	....	key makeup artist

Production Management
Serge Catoire	....	production manager
Philippe Guiheneuf	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Antoine Garceau	....	first assistant director
Yannick Haennel	....	assistant director
Marie Weinberger	....	second assistant director

Sound Department
Olivier Dô Hùu	....	sound re-recording mixer
Judith Guittier	....	assistant foley artist
Benoît Hillebrant	....	sound editor
Alain Lévy	....	post synchronization
Laurent Lévy	....	foley artist
Guillaume Sciama	....	sound
Seppe van Groeningen	....	boom operator

Visual Effects by
Sarah Moreau	....	visual effects coordinator
Laurence Vidot	....	visual effects coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Néwine Behi	....	first assistant camera
François Berroir	....	gaffer
Bernard Brégier	....	key grip
Claire Nicol	....	second assistant camera
Luc Roux	....	still photographer
François-Xavier Walter	....	grip

Editorial Department
Guerric Catala	....	assistant editor
Nicolas Criqui	....	digital conformation
Beatrice Herminie	....	assistant editor
Isabelle Julien	....	color timer

Music Department
Claire Gibault	....	conductor

Other crew
Suzanne Durrenberger	....	script supervisor
Richard Lormand	....	publicist: international
Bachir Sareh	....	production assistant

Production Companies

• Azor Films (presents)
• Azor Films (co-production)
• arte France Cinéma (co-production)
• Studio Canal (co-production) (as StudioCanal)
• Love Streams Productions (co-production)
• Albachiara (co-production) (as Albachiara)
• Network Movie Film-und Fernsehproduktion (co-production) (as Network Movie)
• Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen (ZDF) (participation) (as ZDF/ARTE)
• Canal+ (participation)
• arte France Développement (participation)
• Eurimages (support)
• Région Ile-de-France (support)
• Programme MEDIA de la Communauté Européenne (support)

Distributors

• Studio Canal (2005) (worldwide) (all media) (sales)
• Mars Distribution (2005) (France) (theatrical)
• Arte Vidéo (2006) (France) (DVD) (special edition)
• 1More Film (2006) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Artificial Eye (2006) (UK) (theatrical)
• Concorde Filmverleih (2006) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Frenetic Films (2005-2006) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Mikado (2005) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Wellspring Media (2006) (USA) (theatrical)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (200?) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Concorde Home Entertainment (2007) (Germany) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures (2008) (Japan) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Éditions Gallimard  book publisher
• Ricordi  music publisher (as Editions Ricordi)

Also Known As:

Gabrielle - Liebe meines Lebens (Germany)
Trois soirées (France) (working title)

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

France | Italy | Germany

Language:

French

Color:

Black and White | Color (Fujicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Belgium:KT | Germany:12 | Netherlands:12 | UK:15 | Australia:M

Company:

Azor Films

A Dark,Textured, Many Faceted Thing

I saw this dark oeuvre yesterday at the Boston French Film Festival at the MFA.It was chosen to be the Opening night Film and was sold out.The director was present and spoke at length about what drew him to make the film and what was important about it- for him. I felt the film-making was fascinating. From the opening sequence, where the footage in the train station is SO realistic in its early 20th c. appearance, and throughout the film, I found the cinematography to be lush, stylized, extremely well-framed and riveting .It is a perfect voice for the story. The actors are always IN YOUR FACE and this fact, combined with an economic and well written script, heavy dark music, tremendously accurate and effective set design, and spot-on acting, made for an extremely moving and interesting exploration of the story. For me, in tone and context, it felt a bit like Henry James' Portrait of a Lady (and probably works by Ibsen and others) Isabelle Huppert and her husband are extremely wealthy, cold, unemotional,detached from themselves and others, and 'safe' in that world. Their house-where 99% of the film takes place, is a dark, heavy, classical, structured prison.(The director's background in stage directing is very evident in this film.) One little bubble bursts from that prison and then things change and the disintegration begins. It gives one a great deal to think about. My only problem with the film is the MUSIC.The music is as much an element of the film as the actors. That is not, in and of itself, a bad thing, but in the last 20 minutes of the film, it is just WAY TOO MUCH: too heavy, too loud, and too repetitive;a bit like Bruchner at his worst. But if you are able to see a DVD of this, you can turn down this overkill. If you are lucky enough to see the film live (so important for major artistic cinematography like this) you'll just have to deal with it; maybe it won't bother you so much.At any rate, the film will provide those so inclined with many things to think about and discuss. And visuals to remember. For me,I will always carry the image of Huppert, dressed in black, on that enormous settee... it's a Degas.