Le Havre (2011)

Director:

Aki Kaurismäki

Writer:

Aki Kaurismäki (written by)

Release Date:

8 September 2011 (Germany)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Plot:

When an African boy arrives by cargo ship in the port city of Le Havre, an aging shoe shiner takes pity on the child and welcomes him into his home. |

Plot Keywords:

Shoe Shiner | Container | Charity Event | Migrant Camp | Ill Wife

Awards:

15 wins & 19 nominations

Cast

André Wilms	...	Marcel Marx
Kati Outinen	...	Arletty
Jean-Pierre Darroussin	...	Monet
Blondin Miguel	...	Idrissa
Elina Salo	...	Claire
Evelyne Didi	...	Yvette
Quoc Dung Nguyen	...	Chang (as Quoc-Dung Nguyen)
Laïka	...	Laïka - Dog
François Monnié	...	Epicier
Little Bob	...	Little Bob (as Roberto Piazza)
Pierre Étaix	...	Docteur Becker
Jean-Pierre Léaud	...	Le dénonciateur
Vincent Lebodo	...	Francis
Umban U'kset	...	Mahamat Saleh
Patrick Bonnel	...	Le directeur du centre de rétention
Ilkka Koivula	...	L'Italien
Myriam 'Mimie' Piazza	...	Mimie
Luce Vigo	...	La vendeuse sandwiches
Valérie Caron	...	Eoupse épicier
Jérôme Boyer	...	Policier frontière
Jean-Luc Guion Firmin	...	Réfugié Calais
Pierre Morineau	...	Gardien de nuit containers
Johann Rioux	...	Commandant CRS
Julien Flematti	...	CRZ zélé
Eric Duteil	...	Médecin
Corinne Belet	...	Infirmière
Dominique Lepagne	...	Infirmière
Anne Lizy	...	Infirmière
Pierre Richards	...	Employé dock
Loïc Jamet	...	Employé dock 2
Nico Garotin	...	Membre group Little Bob
Bertrand Couloume	...	Membre group Little Bob
Nicolas Noël	...	Membre group Little Bob
Gilles Mallet	...	Membre group Little Bob
Gilles Adam	...	Pilier bar La Moderne / Préfet
Patrick Leboucher	...	Pilier bar La Moderne
Michel Lacaille	...	Pilier bar La Moderne
Stéphane Livonnen	...	Pilier bar La Moderne
Arnaud Clément	...	Client bar La Moderne
Dominique Comont	...	Client bar La Moderne
Alain Guillot	...	Client bar La Moderne
Philippe Hubschwerlin	...	Client bar La Moderne
Franck Durand	...	Client bar La Moderne
Christian Amyard	...	Docker
Rudy Amyard	...	Docker
Brice Augé	...	Docker
Lucas Loubaresse	...	Tueur
Ireneusz Spiewak	...	Tueur
Gilles Charmant	...	Vendeur de chaussures
Mary Berkelmans	...	Ménagère
Seluna Lemercier	...	Ménagère
Fanette Martinié	...	Ménagère
Remi Pradinas	...	Curé
Stéphane Parthenay	...	Curé
Alain Chapelain	...	Accordéoniste
Rachid Bessal	...	Réfugié Calais
Oumar Ly	...	Réfugié Calais
Emmanuel Ingweiler	...	Photographe
Mathieu Hébert	...	Barman
Frank Atinault	...	Pêcheur
Dominiqur Mare	...	Pêcheur
Brice Niel	...	Pêcheur
Alban Rutten	...	Pêcheur
Franck Rutten	...	Pêcheur
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Christophe Perez	...	Police Officer (uncredited)

Directed by
Aki Kaurismäki

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Aki Kaurismäki		written by

Produced by
Karl Baumgartner	....	co-producer
Reinhard Brundig	....	co-producer
Hanna Hemilä	....	executive producer
Hanna Hemilä	....	line producer
Aki Kaurismäki	....	producer
Stéphane Parthenay	....	line producer
Fabienne Vonier	....	co-producer

Cinematography by
Timo Salminen

Film Editing by
Timo Linnasalo

Production Design by
Wouter Zoon

Costume Design by
Frédéric Cambier

Makeup Department
Valerie Thery-Hamel	....	key makeup artist

Production Management
Valérie Farthouat	....	executive in charge of production
Claire Langmann	....	unit production manager
Mark Lwoff	....	production manager
Remi Pradinas	....	production manager
Haije Tulokas	....	executive in charge of production
Augustin Werkoff	....	assistant unit manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Gilles Charmant	....	first assistant director
Renaud Gast	....	third assistant director
Lucas Loubaresse	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Pascal Courtinel	....	painter
Pomme Delépine	....	assistant art director
Sebastien Gallien	....	assistant carpenter
Sebastien Gallien	....	carpenter
Jean Claude Guillemain	....	carpenter
Jean-Claude Guilleman	....	construction coordinator
Thomas Pitre	....	first assistant art director
Gérard Simonet	....	construction coordinator
Ireneusz Spiewak	....	property master
Laurent Thevenot	....	painter
Wouter Zoon	....	set designer

Sound Department
Iisakki Hormia	....	post-production sound synch assistant
Konsta Hormia	....	post-production sound synch
Benjamin Laurent	....	boom operator
Tero Malmberg	....	sound editor
Tero Malmberg	....	sound
Olli Pärnänen	....	sound mixer

Camera and Electrical Department
Lazar Abdelkebir	....	camera car
Mika Ailasmäki	....	first assistant camera
Cyril Dupont	....	electrician
Eric Garzena	....	lighting technician
Marja-Leena Hukkanen	....	still photographer (as Malla Hukkanen)
Kalle Penttilä	....	grip
Anne Vahlsten	....	second assistant camera
Olli Varja	....	gaffer
Ville Väänänen	....	lighting technician

Casting Department
Jean Eninger	....	casting assistant: children
Renaud Gast	....	extras casting
Elsa Pharaon	....	casting: children

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Clara Lyonnet	....	wardrobe
Diane Wehrly	....	wardrobe trainee

Editorial Department
Gérard Estival	....	color timer
Kirsi Hatara	....	post-production secretary: Finland

Transportation Department
Lucien Lefèbvre	....	driver

Other crew
Anne Berjon	....	production assistant: France
Eve Bruant	....	caterer
Irmeli Debarle	....	interpreter
Irmeli Debarle	....	translator
Agnès Fanget	....	traffic controller
Valérie Farthouat	....	production administrator
Camelia Förster	....	secretary: Germany
Marja-Leena Hukkanen	....	script supervisor (as Malla Hukkanen)
Stéphanie Jossec	....	traffic controller
Eevi Kareinen	....	production secretary: Finland
Heikki Keskinen	....	production accountant: Finland
Philippe Leconte	....	legal supervisor: France
Louise Lehec	....	production trainee: France
Jeffrey Leiser	....	deliverables coordinator
Frank Lesniak	....	traffic controller
Marine Longuet	....	assistant location manager
Mikko Lyytikäinen	....	translator
Guillaume Moinard	....	assistant location manager
Paula Oinonen	....	dog trainer: Laika
Reichenbach Pauline	....	location manager trainee
Élise Pradinas	....	nanny
Mathieu Raab	....	traffic controller
Frédéric Sibeud	....	traffic controller
Thibault Spiral	....	traffic controller
Rainer Teusner	....	production accountant: Germany
Augustin Werkoff	....	assistant location manager

Production Companies

• Sputnik (as Sputnik Oy)
• Pyramide Productions
• Pandora Filmproduktion (as Pandora Film)
• arte France Cinéma (in co-production with)
• ZDF/Arte (in co-production with)
• Finnish Film Foundation (as The Finnish Film Foundation) (in co-production with)
• Canal+ (with the participation of)
• Nordisk Film- & TV-Fond (with the participation of)
• Centre National de la Cinématographie (CNC) (with the participation of)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (as YLE Coproductions) (with the participation of)
• CinéCinéma (with the participation of)
• Arte France (with the participation of)
• Région Haute-Normandie (as La Région Haute-Normandie) (with the participation of)
• Pôle Image Haute-Normandie (in association with)

Distributors

• A-Film Distribution (2012) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• A-Film Distribution (2012) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Alfa Films (2012) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Euro Space (2012) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Feelgood Entertainment (2012) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Films We Like (2011) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Future Film (2011) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Janus Films (2011) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Pyramide Distribution (2011) (France) (theatrical)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (2012) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (2012) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Criterion Collection, The (2012) (USA) (DVD)
• Criterion Collection, The (2012) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• EDKO Film (2013) (Hong Kong) (DVD)
• Film1 (2012) (Netherlands) (TV) (limited)
• Filmcoopi Zürich (2011) (Switzerland) (all media)
• Mantarraya Producciones (2011) (Mexico) (all media)
• Midas Filmes (2012) (Portugal) (all media)
• Pandora Film Verleih (2012) (Germany) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Cinésyl  grip and lighting equipment

Also Known As:

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

Finland | France | Germany

Language:

French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Finland:K-3 | Norway:A | USA:Not Rated | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | Sweden:Btl | Netherlands:12 | Portugal:M/12 (Qualidade) | Ireland:PG | UK:PG | South Korea:All | Hong Kong:I | New Zealand:G | Australia:PG | Germany:o.Al. | Argentina:Atp | Singapore:PG | Singapore:PG13 (Blu-ray)

Filming Locations:

Impasse Réal, Le Havre, Seine-Maritime, France

Company:

Sputnik

Trivia:

Finland's official submission to the Best Foreign Language Film category of the 84th Academy Awards 2012.

Quotes:

Marcel Marx:L'argent circule au crepuscule.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Smallest Red Carpet, But the Biggest Heart (2011)

Soundtrack:

Libero

Le Havre

Le Havre is a film from Finland in French with English subtitles. The film focuses on a middle aged man named Marcel, who makes a living going around town and working as a shoe shiner. Business is not always great and at home Marcel lives a very simple life with his much adored wife, Arletty. One day a group of refugees are found in town and one of them, a young boy named, Idrissa escapes and is wanted by the local chief inspector and the police. Marcel one day stumbles across the boy and shows kindness to him and the next thing he knows, Idrissa shows up at his home. The rest of the story is about how out of his way, Marcel will go to hide and protect the boy from the police and to find a way to get him back with his family. Le Havre is a great film on several different levels. The acting here from the whole cast is all very good here and just their facial expressions and deadpan looks say a lot even when there is nothing in particular to be said. They convey the feelings and thoughts and emotions of their characters perfectly. The direction and writing of this film by Aki Kaurismaki is also a real delight here. He provides us with some very interesting characters and a good story to use and put them to work in. I also found that the film had just the right blend of humour and drama. Ultimately this is a feel good film and I think almost anybody who watches it will leave feeling very happy and joyful. The story and events in the film are simple enough and nothing is done to extravagance, but I think what really got me about the whole thing was the kindness not only Marcel, but his friends and neighbours, show to Idrissa, knowing that if they are caught, they too could be in a lot of trouble. It was really refreshing to see these characters live their simple yet happy lives and find happiness in things we take for granted and how when one needs help, they will be the first ones there to lend a hand and offer support. They work together well as a community and more than that they are great friends and neighbours who look out for each other. That was what I really thought got me about Le Havre, the basic message of the kindness of strangers and being the good Samaritan and helping out your fellow man. The film I might add is also quite a good looking film and I really admired it's cinematography. At one time it shows buildings and homes in bright primary colours and then goes to show us bleak and older homes that are a bit run down and much more simple. The colour scheme and the effect of this further added to my appreciation of the film and how these characters live. The cinematography actually reminded me of the works of French cinematographer Raoul Coutard, whose work I came to know and love in Jean-Luc Godard's films such as Contempt (which looks absolutely exquisite on it's Blu Ray release), but now back to Le Havre. This is a film where much joy and laughter can be had, but also gives us hope for each other and the human race. The film may be a little unrealistic in that regard of showing the goodness in people, but any film that has that as it's central message and gives us something to not only think about, but to feel good about after is a winner in my books. It may even get you to re-evaluate your own attitudes and perspectives on things, so keep an open mind while watching. This is one of the most entertaining and inspiring films of 2011 and also one of the best.