Sagan (2008)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

Diane Kurys

Writers:

Diane Kurys (writer)
Claire Lemaréchal (writer)

Release Date:

11 June 2008 (France)

Genre:

Biography

Tagline:

Sagan

Plot Keywords:

Paris | Character Name In Title

Awards:

3 nominations

Cast

Sylvie Testud	...	Françoise Quoirez dite Sagan
Pierre Palmade	...	Jacques Chazot
Jeanne Balibar	...	Peggy Roche
Arielle Dombasle	...	Astrid
Lionel Abelanski	...	Bernard Frank
Guillaume Gallienne	...	Jacques Quoirez
Denis Podalydès	...	Guy Schoeller
Bruno Wolkowitch	...	Philippe (Complete TV version)
Samuel Labarthe	...	René Julliard
Margot Abascal	...	Florence Malraux
Gwendoline Hamon	...	Suzanne Quoirez
Chantal Neuwirth	...	Mme Lebreton
Silvie Laguna	...	Mme Bartoli
Alexis Michalik	...	Denis Westhoff 23 / 33ans
William Miller	...	Robert 'Bob' Westhoff

Also Known As:

Sagan: Des bleus à l'âme (France) (TV title)
Sagan: Un charmant petit monstre (France) (TV title)

Runtime:

France:180 min (2 parts) | 117 min (theatrical version)

Country:

France

Language:

French

Color:

Color | Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Netherlands:12 | Sweden:7 | Japan:PG-12

Filming Locations:

Casino Barrière - 2 Rue Edmond Blanc, Deauville, Calvados, France

Company:

Alexandre Films

Trivia:

"Sagan" was originally produced and shot as a two-part TV miniseries (2 x 90'). When seeing it, Luc Besson (director, producer but also distributor) decided to purchase the screen rights and released it after having trimmed it down to a two hour feature film.

Soundtrack:

Sag warum

Piaf on Prozac

Why another biopic? Why biopics at all? Writer-director Diane Kurys doesn't know. Perhaps so you have something to take your mother to. But chances are she'd fall asleep. Francoise Sagan may have had an exciting life, but you certainly wouldn't know from this movie. It feels like the entire cast and crew were high on 875, that mysterious morphine Sagan was a slave to half her life. Because nothing ever happens, you will quickly find your mind wandering to the fringes of the screen. Maybe that's a good thing. Maybe it's even a cinematic strategy, but I wouldn't bet on it. Take Florence Malraux, the eminent writer's daughter. Played by Margot Abascal, she is so much more vibrant and adorable than everybody else you wonder why the movie isn't about her. Or take the shady guy: When Francoise and Peggy, drunk as hell, check into the Hotel Raphael for a little lesbian loving, they pass a nameless stranger walking the other way. I wonder what his story is. Where is he going, wearing giant shades, in the middle of the night? Perhaps I should have followed him.