Fauteuils d'orchestre (2006)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Danièle Thompson

Writers:

Danièle Thompson (screenplay) and
Christopher Thompson (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

15 February 2006 (France)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Plot:

A young woman arrives in Paris where she finds a job as a waitress in bar next on Avenue Montaigne that caters to the surrounding theaters and the wealthy inhabitants of the area. She will meet a pianist, a famous actress and a great art collector, and become acquainted with the "luxurious" world her grandmother has told her about since her childhood.

Plot Keywords:

Manager | Concert | Bar | Paris | Pianist

Awards:

1 win & 4 nominations

Cast

Valérie Lemercier	...	Catherine Versen
Cécile De France	...	Jessica
Albert Dupontel	...	Jean-François Lefort
Claude Brasseur	...	Jacques Grumberg
Christopher Thompson	...	Frédéric Grumberg
Dani	...	Claudie
Laura Morante	...	Valentine Lefort
Suzanne Flon	...	Madame Roux
Sydney Pollack	...	Brian Sobinski
François Rollin	...	Marcel
Guillaume Gallienne	...	Pascal
Annelise Hesme	...	Valérie
Françoise Lépine	...	Magali Garrel
Michel Vuillermoz	...	Félix
Daniel Benoin	...	Daniel Bercoff
Christian Hecq	...	Grégoire Bergonhe
Simon de Pury	...	Le commissaire priseur
Julia Molkhou	...	Margot
Kaori Tsuji	...	La journaliste japonaise
Laurent Petitgirard	...	Le chef d'orchestre
Ève Ruggieri	...	Elle-même
Marc Rioufol	...	Claude Mercier
Laurent Mouton	...	Serge
Werner Köchler	...	Werner
Michèle Brousse	...	La dame-pipi
Susana Poveda	...	La maquilleuse
Franck Amiach	...	Le traducteur (as Franck Amiack)
Caroline Morin	...	L'habilleuse
Thierry Métaireau	...	Le régisseur
Sabrina Ouazani	...	Rachida
Brigitte Defrance	...	La dame groupie
Serge Bento	...	Le monsieur groupie
Frantz Morel	...	Le réceptionniste
Martine Erhel	...	La mère de Catherine
Sigolène Vinion	...	La vendeuse Ungaro
Yannick Dyvrande	...	Le serveur bar Plazza
Mikis Cerleix	...	Le chauffeur de taxi 2
Ahcène Nini	...	Le chauffeur de taxi 1
Antoine Nembrini	...	L'ingénieur du son
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Daniel Delfosse	...	Le laveur de carreaux (uncredited)
Eric Moreau	...	Un machiniste de théâtre (uncredited)

Directed by
Danièle Thompson

Writing credits
Danièle Thompson		(screenplay) and
Christopher Thompson		(screenplay)
Danièle Thompson		(dialogue)

Produced by
Christine Gozlan	....	producer

Original Music by
Nicola Piovani

Cinematography by
Jean-Marc Fabre

Film Editing by
Sylvie Landra

Casting by
Stéphane Foenkinos

Production Design by
Michèle Abbé-Vannier		(as Michèle Abbe)

Costume Design by
Catherine Leterrier

Makeup Department
Stéphane Desmarez	....	hair stylist
Judith Gayo	....	key makeup artist
Caroline Philiponnat	....	makeup artist
Key Philipps	....	key hair stylist

Production Management
Olivier Hélie	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Denis Bergonhe	....	first assistant director
Emmanuel Murat	....	second assistant director
Bonnie Pirès	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Guillaume Abbe	....	second assistant art director
Joan Ayrton	....	painter
Bruno Barbier	....	locksmith
Anne Bourleyre	....	first assistant art director
Séverine Brunner	....	upholsterer
Laurent Chalmandrier	....	carpenter
Pierre Cluzel	....	carpenter
François Combastel	....	head carpenter
André Conil	....	carpenter
Anne Dolet	....	sculptor
Michel Grimaud	....	property master
Bruno Lefebvre	....	carpenter (as Bruno Lefèvre)
Virginie Le Romain	....	property buyer
Sacha Malheraux	....	upholsterer
Philippe Margottin	....	dressing props
Antoine Martial	....	carpenter (as Martial Antoine)
Philippe Moutard	....	painter
Brigitte Renard	....	head sculptor
Martina Seeber	....	head painter
Christian Van Oost	....	painter
François Combastel	....	construction coordinator (uncredited)

Sound Department
Vincent Arnardi	....	sound re-recording mixer
Nicolas Bourgeois	....	additional sound editor
Christophe Bourreau	....	foley artist
Philippe Dongé	....	sound mix technician
Eric Ferret	....	post-sync foley artist
Denis Jaillet-Marsigny	....	sound recordist
Alexis Jung	....	assistant foley artist
Hassan Kamrani	....	sound intern
Fabien Kharat	....	assistant sound
Florent Klockenbring	....	assistant sound editor
Gwennolé Le Borgne	....	sound editor
Carole Lourtil	....	post-synchronisation
Davide Palmiotto	....	ProTools operator
Davide Palmiotto	....	sound assistant
Loïc Pommiès	....	post-sync recordist
Nicolas Provost	....	second dialogue editor
Patrice Séverac	....	post-synchronisation
Yann Vernier	....	assistant foley artist

Visual Effects by
Emmanuelle Carlier	....	visual effects production assistant
Alain Carsoux	....	visual effects director
Séverine De Wever	....	visual effects coordinator
Rip Hampton O'Neil	....	technical director: Duboicolor
Abdel Ali Kassou	....	I/O manager
Abdel Ali Kassou	....	imaging manager
Emmanuel Le Courbe	....	digital compositor
Didier le Fouest	....	digital colorist
Cecile Peltier	....	digital compositor

Camera and Electrical Department
Loïc Andrieu	....	Steadicam operator
Franck-Norman Bihi	....	electrician (as Norman Bihi)
Guy-Auguste Boléat	....	key grip
Tanneguy d'Aubert	....	assistant camera
Laurent Duquesnoy	....	grip
Jeannick Gravelines	....	still photographer
Guermouh Guy	....	generator operator
Laurent Hincelin	....	first assistant camera
Emilie de la Hosseraye	....	still photographer
Nicolas Le Gal	....	second assistant camera
Luis Peraña	....	electrician
Luc Reyrolle	....	electrician
Jean-Mary Vodoz	....	grip
Christian Weyers	....	gaffer

Casting Department
Dan Berthier	....	extras casting assistant
Elodie Demey	....	casting assistant
Evy Figliolini	....	extras casting
Laura Sfedj	....	extras casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Caroline Condat	....	wardrobe
Thierry Delettre	....	costumer
Camille Janbon	....	costumer
Daniella Telle	....	wardrobe (as Daniela Telle)
Bruce Ugaeral	....	wardrobe

Editorial Department
Soline Guyonneau	....	first assistant editor
Charlotte Mazzinghi	....	dailies color grader
Julien Parouty	....	trainee assistant editor
Laurent Pelé	....	on-line editor
Nora Seches	....	color timer

Music Department
Valérie Lindon	....	music supervisor
Aidan Zammit	....	musician: keyboards

Other crew
Romain Benoist	....	production accountant
Stéphanie Bermann	....	trainee script supervisor
Marylène Dastugue	....	production secretary
François-René Duchable	....	technical advisor: piano
Carole Fevre	....	script supervisor
Tarik Magra	....	production intern
Magali Payen	....	production intern
David Poirot	....	production assistant
Dominique Segall	....	press attache
Pierre Selinger	....	production attorney
Arnaud Troesch	....	trainee accountant

Thanks
Suzanne Flon	....	dedicatee (as Suzanne)

Production Companies

• Thelma Films
• Studio Canal (co-production)
• TF1 Films Production (co-production)
• Radis Films Productions (co-production)
• Canal+ (participation)
• CinéCinéma (participation)
• Région Ile-de-France (participation)

Distributors

• Mars Distribution (2006) (France) (theatrical)
• Alfa Films (2007) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• DNC Entertainment (2006) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Filmes do Estação (2007) (Brazil) (theatrical)
• Frenetic Films (2006) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Seville Pictures (2006) (Canada) (theatrical)
• THINKFilm (2007) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• TOBIS Film (2006) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Dreamland Filmes (2008) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Filmfreak Distributie (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Melimedias (2006) (Belgium) (all media)
• Studio Canal (2007) (France) (DVD)
• Transeuropa Video Entertainment (TVE) (2007) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Universum Film (UFA) (2007) (Germany) (DVD)
• Velocity Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Duboicolor
• Duran Duboi

Other Companies

• Laboratoires Éclair  laboratory services

Also Known As:

Orchestra Seats (Canada: English title) (festival title) (UK)
Avenue Montaigne (USA)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some strong language and brief sexuality.

Runtime:

106 min | USA:100 min (cut)

Country:

France

Language:

French | English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | France:U | Germany:o.Al. | UK:12A | USA:PG-13 | Brazil:14 | Argentina:Atp | Netherlands:12 | South Korea:12 | Taiwan:GP | Portugal:M/12 | Australia:M | New Zealand:M

Filming Locations:

15 - Théâtre des Champs Elysées, avenue Montaigne, Paris 8, Paris, France

Company:

Thelma Films

Trivia:

Visa d'exploitation en France # 112436

Goofs:

Continuity: When Dupontel (Jean-François Lefort) gives his concert and takes off his shirt and jacket they change places, first in front of the long end of the piano then in the next cut much closer to the keyboard end.

Movie Connections:

References "Star Academy" (2001)

Soundtrack:

La solitude ça n'existe pas

French Commercial Cinema As Americans Like It!

This is today's French commercial cinema by the numbers: gamin plucky young woman character, check. Over the top if beautiful actress, check. Aging, wise woman, check. Well- preserved dotty grandmother in pearls and Hermes scarf, check. Anguished artist with long- suffering wife, check. Sexy young male actor as counterpoint to gamin plucky young actress, check. Lots of shots of Paris with accordion music, check. Recognizable foreign actor in cameo role, check. Gerard Depardieu -- oops, he missed out on this one. Fire his agent!

All that cynicism aside, this is still an enjoyable, frothy film. It is not quite as imaginative as Amelie, but it is better than much of the French cinema that is being churned out these days. The three plot lines are skillfully woven together and the outcome will satisfy all but the most hard-hearted. Now I guess the question will be, who'll play all these characters when the movie is bought by an American studio and rewritten to take place in New York.

There's got to be something in there for Keanu Reeves and Jennifer Garner, non?