Un secret (2007)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Claude Miller

Writers:

Philippe Grimbert (novel)
Claude Miller (writer)

Release Date:

3 October 2007 (France)

Genre:

Drama | War

Plot:

A 15-year-old boy unearths a shocking family secret. |

Plot Keywords:

Family Secret | Secret | World War II Bomber | Imaginary Person | Nightmare

Awards:

2 wins & 10 nominations

Cast

Cécile De France	...	Tania Stirn / Grimbert
Patrick Bruel	...	Maxime Nathan Grinberg / Grimbert
Ludivine Sagnier	...	Hannah Golda Stirn / Grinberg
Julie Depardieu	...	Louise
Mathieu Amalric	...	François Grimbert à 37 ans
Nathalie Boutefeu	...	Esther
Yves Verhoeven	...	Guillaume
Yves Jacques	...	Le commandant Béraud
Sam Garbarski	...	Joseph
Orlando Nicoletti	...	Simon Grinberg à 7 ans
Valentin Vigourt	...	François Grimbert à 7 ans
Quentin Dubuis	...	François Grimbert à 14 ans
Myriam Fuks	...	La mère d'Hannah
Robert Plagnol	...	Robert Stirn
Michel Israel	...	Le père d'Hannah

Also Known As:

A Secret (International: English title) (festival title) (USA) (new title)

Runtime:

Argentina:105 min

Country:

France

Language:

French | Yiddish | German | Hebrew

Color:

Color | Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Argentina:13 | Philippines:R-13 (MTRCB) | Australia:M

Filming Locations:

Baraize, Indre, France

Company:

Canal+

Trivia:

Eva Green was considered for the role of Tania and Pascal Elbé for the role of Maxime

Movie Connections:

References La grande illusion (1937)

Soundtrack:

Tout ça c'est pour nous

Not your average Holocaust film.

All François knew was that his father wasn't overly fond of him. Part of it may have been because he wasn't as athletic as his parents. His father would get upset when he talked of an imaginary "brother." No one talked of the family secret until he was 14 and Louise (Julie Depardieu) decided he should know.

She tells him of life during WWII, and his father's first wife, and his son. Unbeknownst to him, they were all Jews, even though his father never practiced his faith. During the war they escaped France. All except his wife (Ludivine Sagnier) and son. She decided to demonstrate her independence at the wrong time. Of course, she was also upset that her husband (Patrick Bruel) couldn't keep his eyes off her brother's wife (Cécile De France). Who could? What happened didn't become known until François (Mathieu Amalric) was older. We, the audience knew what was going to happen, but the Jews at the time had no clue.

Julie Depardieu really excelled in this engrossing tale. Cécile De France was also very good. It was a brilliant work of art.