Les enfants du pays (2006)

User Rating:

4.7/10   

Director:

Pierre Javaux

Writers:

Pierre Chaillan (writer)
Pierre Javaux (writer)

Release Date:

19 April 2006 (Belgium)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

May 1940, in the French Ardennes. The German Army is getting ready to invade France. Old Gustave lives alone in his village with Camille...

Plot Keywords:

Village | Tank | WWII | Grandfather | Ardennes France

Cast

Michel Serrault	...	Gustave
William Nadylam	...	Caporal-chef Malick N'Diaye
Emma Javaux	...	Camille
Pascal N'Zonzi	...	Baye Dame
Arthur Chazal	...	Etienne
Ralph Amoussou	...	Bha
Jacky Ido	...	Lamine
Cedric Ido	...	Soguy
Allen Parnell	...	Massamba
Maud Rakotondravohitra	...	Joséphine Baker
Manon Grosset	...	Une orpheline

Also Known As:

Douce France (France) (working title)
Un si joli village (France) (working title)
Une ballade au printemps (France) (working title)

Runtime:

France:87 min

Country:

France

Color:

Color

Filming Locations:

Haute-Marne, France

Company:

Pierre Javaux Productions

Trivia:

Visa d'exploitation en France #109633.

Soundtrack:

La Conga Blicoti

Crossed tribute to the Senegalese Tirailleurs during WW2 and the French prefect of Eure et Loire department, Jean Moulin (1899-1943)

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

When movie fiction recalls historical facts... "Les Enfants du Pays" (Pierre Javaux, April 2006, Fr., 87 min.) is a mere lesson of tolerance and brotherhood to be discovered by the present and young generations. It tells us the story of the "peaceful skirmish", during the French Debâcle (mai 1940), of a farmer called Gustave (Michel Serrault), staying alone in his deserted village of the French Ardennes (later place of the Battle of the Bulge), with his two grandchildren whom parents have been killed : Camille (Emma Javaux) and Etienne (Arthur Chazal). All three are surprised by five Senegalese infantrymen (Malick, Baye Dame, Bha,Massamba, Lamine et Soguy) lost at the French-Belgian border. Unwittingly, this french film indirectly calls up the "forgotten patriotism" of the young french Prefect of the Eure et Loir county,Jean Moulin (1899-1943), loyal French Republic civil servant who decided to protect, during the gloomy hours of the German invasion of France, the population of his department against the acts of violence of the Invaders and to fight for the military honor of the french-afro soldiers of Western Africa. Because, the French State local Representant will refuse to sign - under the German constraint - a wrongly letter written by the German Army accusing the Western French Africa Troups (Third Bataillon of the 26th Tirailleurs Sénégalais Régiment, RTS, based at Chartrainvilliers) to have slaughtered and mutilated German prisoners, and to have exercised physical cruelty and ill treatment of civilians (La Taye railway station, close to Saint-Georges / Eure, June 14th 1940)... in fact air-raided by the German Airforce Luftwaffe a few days before ! Not to sign this dishonoring paper « Pour ne pas sanctionner cet outrage à l'armée français et se déshonorer lui même », the French Prefect Jean Moulin will decide to attempt to commit suicide, in the night June 17-18th 1940, by slashing his throat with some piece of glass...

Pierre Le Blavec, Jr - L'AvisDevantSoi (LAVDS) - Copyright - April 2006