Set in France during the struggle for Algerian independence, Messaoud's mother is terminally ill and his father, needing to work long hours in the factory, can't look after him, so decides to put him and his older brother Abdel in foster...
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Director:
Writers:
Photos and Videos
Cast
| Gérard Depardieu | ... |
Georges
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| Nathalie Baye | ... |
Gisèle
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| Mathieu Amalric | ... |
Jacques
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Samy Seghir | ... |
Messaoud / Michou
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Medi Kerouani | ... |
Abdel
(as Medy Kerouani)
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| Mohamed Fellag | ... |
Akli
(as Fellag)
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| Catherine Hiegel | ... |
La directrice de l'orphelinat
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| Philippe Nahon | ... |
Le cafetier
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Bernard Yerlès | ... |
Le copain de Georges
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| Gérald Laroche | ... |
Robert
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Chick Ortega | ... |
Viguier
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| Marie Kremer | ... |
Vendeuse papeterie
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| Gilles Détroit | ... |
Le curé
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| Robert Plagnol | ... |
Duval
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Ludovic Berthillot | ... |
Max
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| Jean-François Gallotte | ... |
Berrutin
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Romain Kraeutlin | ... |
Paul
(as Romain Kraeutlein)
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Cartouche | ... |
Messaoud
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| Valérie Mairesse | ... |
Monique
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Romain Le Bourlat | ... |
Éric Viguier
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| Manon Tournier | ... |
Sylvie
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| Christian Bouillette | ... |
Le maire
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Manu Layotte | ... |
Gabriel
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Jean-Gabriel Nordmann | ... |
Officier militaire
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Marie Legault | ... |
Odette
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Roland Menou | ... |
Surveillant
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| Jérôme Keen | ... |
Employé Assistance Publique
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| Jean-Pierre Moulin | ... |
Père de Gisèle
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| Yvette Petit | ... |
Mère de Gisèle
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Afida Tahri | ... |
Aïcha
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Abdelhafid Metalsi | ... |
Saïd
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Josette Motteau | ... |
Madame Lurcat
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Alice Lautner | ... |
Marie
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Alain Pigeaux | ... |
Vendeur du bazar
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Baptiste Boget | ... |
Blondel
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Jérôme Barroin | ... |
Garcin
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Jocelyn Goyard | ... |
Claude
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Alban Thuault | ... |
Pierrot
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Messaoud Hattau | ... |
Le vieux Kabyle
(as Messaoud Hattou)
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| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
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Benjamin Charles | ... |
Un orphelin (uncredited)
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| Charles de Gaulle | ... |
Self (uncredited) (archiveFootage)
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Audrey Ciais Ferrand | ... |
La bonne du curé (uncredited)
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Quentin Grosset | ... |
Un orphelin (uncredited)
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Directed by
| Thomas Gilou | ||
Written by
| Jean Cosmos | ... | () |
| Thomas Gilou | ... | () |
| Messaoud Hattau | ... | () (as Messaoud Hattou) |
Produced by
| Luc Besson | ... | executive producer |
| Michel Feller | ... | producer |
| Pierre-Ange Le Pogam | ... | producer |
| Michel Propper | ... | executive producer |
| Mehdi Sayah | ... | assistant producer |
Music by
| Alexandre Desplat | ||
Cinematography by
| Robert Alazraki | ||
Editing by
| Francine Sandberg | ||
Editorial Department
| Basile Belkhiri | ... | avid technician: Digital Factory |
| Stephanie Broussaud | ... | digital intermediate editor |
| Caroline Dulac | ... | assistant editor |
| Lorraine Houpert | ... | avid technician |
| Élodie Ichter | ... | digital intermediate editor |
| Fabien Pascal | ... | colorist |
| Celia Simonnet | ... | post-production assistant |
| Reginald Gallienne | ... | dailies color grader (uncredited) |
Casting By
| Anne Barbier | ||
| Fabienne Bichet | ||
Production Design by
| Laure Lepelley-Monbillard | ... | (as Laure Lepelley) |
Set Decoration by
| Philippe Cord'homme | ||
| Vincent Deleforge | ... | (set decorations) |
| Cecile Vatelot | ... | (set decorations) |
Costume Design by
| Catherine Bouchard | ||
Makeup Department
| Christophe Chabenet | ... | special makeup effects artist |
| Turid Follvik | ... | make up: Gérard Depardieu |
| Mathilde Humeau | ... | key makeup artist |
| Catherine Jabes | ... | hair stylist |
| Julio Parodi | ... | crowd hair stylist |
Production Management
| Gregory Barrau | ... | unit production manager |
| Eric Bassoff | ... | post-production supervisor |
| Harold Benhaim | ... | assistant unit manager |
| Kader Djedra | ... | unit production manager |
| Karine Ebert | ... | assistant unit manager |
| Julien Flick | ... | assistant unit manager |
| Marc Olla | ... | production manager |
| Jean-Bernard Tate | ... | assistant unit manager (as JB Tate) |
| Clara Vincienne | ... | post-production supervisor |
| Sidonie Waserman | ... | post-production manager |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
| Julie Chevassus | ... | third assistant director |
| Barbara Dupont | ... | second assistant director |
| Julien Greco | ... | assistant director |
| Maurice Hermet | ... | first assistant director |
| Sébastien Marziniak | ... | additional assistant director |
| Romaric Thomas | ... | trainee assistant director |
| Vincent Vesco | ... | first assistant director |
Art Department
| Martin Astich | ... | swing gang |
| Marie Breger | ... | patina painter |
| Bernard Bridon | ... | property master: furniture |
| Philippe Cord'homme | ... | set dresser |
| Tom Danos | ... | carpenter |
| Gregoire Daure | ... | action vehicles |
| Britta Demasse | ... | set dresser |
| Vincent Deslandes | ... | painter |
| Ivan Desru | ... | trainee dressing props |
| Antoine Dore | ... | property master |
| Christophe Graziani | ... | ripper |
| Eric Lambert | ... | assistant art director |
| Guy Monbillard | ... | set dresser |
| Karim Moundy | ... | assistant art director |
| Samir Moundy | ... | assistant property master / swing gang |
| Marie-Line Pellicioli | ... | photo consultant |
| Anne Pelosi | ... | assistant art director |
| Frank Rouches | ... | prop buyer (as Rouches Frank) |
Sound Department
| Fabien Adelin | ... | sound mixer |
| Adrien Arnaud | ... | foley editor |
| Emmanuel Augeard | ... | sound editor |
| Thomas Bernard | ... | sound recordist |
| Lohengrin Braconnier | ... | sound recordist |
| Nicolas Gilou | ... | second assistant sound |
| Philippe Lauprete | ... | boom operator |
| Bernard Le Roux | ... | sound mixer |
| Philippe Lecoeur | ... | sound |
| François Lepeuple | ... | foley artist |
| Fred Mays | ... | post-synchronization |
Special Effects by
| Pascal Molina | ... | special effects supervisor |
Visual Effects by
| David Brochard | ... | digital compositor |
| Stephanie Broussaud | ... | Lustre assistant |
| Alain Carsoux | ... | visual effects director |
| Nicolas Daniel | ... | Lustre assistant / video operator: Duboi |
| Séverine De Wever | ... | visual effects coordinator |
| Thierry Delobel | ... | visual effects supervisor |
| Geoffroy Givry | ... | digital compositor |
| Pierre Gosset | ... | senior compositor |
| Wulff Jeremy | ... | digital compositor |
| Abdel Ali Kassou | ... | I/O manager / imaging manager |
| Nicolas Kermel | ... | digital artist |
| Emmanuel Le Courbe | ... | digital compositor |
| Guillaume Le Gouez | ... | digital compositor |
| Benoit Philippon | ... | digital effects artist |
| Cyril Pichard | ... | research & development |
| Joel Pinto | ... | digital compositor |
| Sebastien Rame | ... | digital compositor |
| Sébastien Rossi | ... | visual effects |
| Olivier Ryard | ... | digital compositor: Duboi - France |
Stunts
| David Genty | ... | assistant stunt coordinator |
Camera and Electrical Department
| Yves Agostini | ... | camera operator |
| Eric Alaux | ... | lighting balloon technician |
| Jean-Marc Alaux | ... | lighting balloon technician |
| Brigitte Barbier | ... | director of photography: second unit |
| Jan Gagnaire | ... | grip |
| Pierre Garnier | ... | key grip |
| Maxime Héraud | ... | first assistant camera |
| Philippe Leroy | ... | electrician |
| Flavio Manriquez | ... | video assistant |
| Lionel Perrin | ... | first assistant camera: "b" camera |
| Jérôme Prébois | ... | still photographer |
| Vincent Richard | ... | additional electrician |
| Nathalie Savale | ... | second assistant camera |
| Loïc Savouré | ... | first assistant camera |
| Xavier Servais | ... | crane key grip |
| Benoît Theunissen | ... | steadicam & camera operator |
| Anna-Katia Vincent | ... | first assistant "a" camera: additional photography |
Casting Department
| Anne Barbier | ... | extras casting |
| Marie de Laubier | ... | casting: children |
| Audrey Ciais Ferrand | ... | casting assistant (as Audrey Ciais) |
Costume and Wardrobe Department
| Nathalie Chesnais | ... | costume supervisor |
| Valérie Le Hello | ... | costumer |
| Aurore Vicente | ... | assistant costume designer |
Music Department
| Jérôme Lateur | ... | music supervisor |
| Vincent Lebegue | ... | music legal coordinator |
| Dominique Lemonnier | ... | concert master |
| Elise Luguern | ... | music production supervisor |
| Bruno Mercere | ... | music recording mixer |
| Mehdi Sayah | ... | assistant music supervisor |
Script and Continuity Department
| Barbara Constantine | ... | script supervisor |
Transportation Department
| Youcef Djedra | ... | driver |
Additional Crew
| Virginie Audouard | ... | production assistant |
| Pascaline Buthon | ... | production assistant |
| Maxime Delauney | ... | set production assistant |
| Romuald Drault | ... | production accountant supervisor |
| Laure Flammarion | ... | production assistant |
| Jean-Baptiste Jay | ... | remote head technician |
| Lilas Saadat | ... | additional production assistant |
| Harmel Sbraire | ... | acting coach: children / coach: children |
| Vincent Stevenel | ... | production accountant |
Production Companies
- EuropaCorp
- TF1 Films Production
- MP Productions (executive production)
- Sofica Europacorp
Distributors
- Chantier Films (2007) (Turkey) (theatrical)
- EuropaCorp. Distribution (2007) (France) (theatrical)
- Victory Productions (2007) (Belgium) (theatrical)
Special Effects
Other Companies
Storyline
| Plot Summary |
Set in France during the struggle for Algerian independence, Messaoud's mother is terminally ill and his father, needing to work long hours in the factory, can't look after him, so decides to put him and his older brother Abdel in foster care. Sent to the countryside, Abdel has to work on a farm, but Messaoud is taken in by a childless woman, who conceals his Arab origins from her fiercely Gaullist ex-army husband. Re-named Michel/Michou, and with his hair comically dyed blond, the young boy quickly steals the hearts of both foster-parents, and eventually is instrumental in saving their troubled marriage. Written by Graham Inglis |
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| Parents Guide | View content advisory » |
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Did You Know?
| Trivia | Movie is based on a true story. End credits tell the present situation of the main characters. See more » |
| Goofs | Michou is taken care of by Gisele and Georges in October 1960. Georges drives a Citroen Ami 6, but this car was only introduced in 1961. See more » |