The Minister (2011) L'exercice de l'État (original title)

Director:

Pierre Schoeller

Writer:

Pierre Schoeller

Release Date:

26 October 2011 (France)

Genre:

Drama

Plot Keywords:

Communications Expert | Fatal Accident | French Politics | Erection | Political Manipulation

Awards:

5 wins & 10 nominations

Cast

Olivier Gourmet	...	Bertrand Saint-Jean
Michel Blanc	...	Gilles
Zabou Breitman	...	Pauline
Laurent Stocker	...	Yan (as Laurent Stocker de la Comédie Française)
Sylvain Deblé	...	Martin Kuypers
Didier Bezace	...	Dominique Woessner
Jacques Boudet	...	Le sénateur Juillet
François Chattot	...	Le ministre de la Santé, Falconetti
Gaëtan Vassart	...	Loïk
Arly Jover	...	Séverine Saint jean
Eric Naggar	...	Le Premier ministre
Anne Azoulay	...	Josepha
Abdelhafid Metalsi	...	Louis do
Christian Vautrin	...	Nemrod
François Vincentelli	...	Le ministre du Budget, Peralta
Stéphan Wojtowicz	...	Le Président de la République
Ludovic Jevelot	...	Tintin
Marc-Olivier Fogiel	...	Le journaliste de la matinale
Brigitte Lo Cicero	...	La femme du rêve crocodile
Jade Phan-Gia	...	Kenza (as Jade Phan Gia)
Brice Fournier	...	Le député Prade
Veronique Calderari	...	Membre des Kurokos
Pierre-François Dollé	...	Membre des Kurokos
Fabrice Jardin	...	Membre des Kurokos
Cédric Lemereigne	...	Membre des Kurokos
Ludovic Wystraete	...	Membre des Kurokos
Anne Paris	...	La copine de Yan
Philippe Naman	...	Le copain de Yan
Réginald Huguenin	...	Le Préfet des Ardennes
Gilles Bellomi	...	Le C.O.S. des Ardennes
Grégoire Morano	...	L'ado perdu
Mathilde Ferrato	...	L'ado hagarde
Véronique Wellecan	...	La mère désespérée
Fanny Touron	...	La journaliste point presse (as Fanny Tourron)
Marine Blake	...	Gwenaëlle
Valérie Khong	...	La journaliste RTL
François Berland	...	Guillemot, le DG SNCF
Mya Chanson	...	Le nouveau-né
Ange Baraglioli	...	Un chômeur
Thierry Besnard	...	Un chômeur
Zmourda Chkimi	...	Un chômeur
Bouzid Ghezali	...	Un chômeur
Véronique Noël	...	Une chômeuse
Bernard Teissandier	...	Un chômeur
Jean-Michel Chapelain	...	L'instructeur pilotage
Emmanuel Gayet	...	Morange
Nicolas Jouhet	...	Le délégué syndical
Régis Romele	...	Un manifestant (as Régis Romelé)
Laurence Pollet-Villard	...	Le conseillère du président
Martine Vandeville	...	Vinci
Philippe du Janerand	...	L'homme des réseaux
Gaëtan Le Marchand	...	L'huissier ministère
Serge Noel	...	Mougins
Philippe Jourde	...	Un député
Ménothy Cesar	...	L'ouvrier de l'autoroute
Laurent D'Olce	...	Le neurologue
Maxime Motte	...	Le prêtre
Caroline Grapin	...	La fille de Martin Kuypers
Joséphine Lazzarino	...	Femme choeur sarde
Anna Andreotti	...	Femme choeur sarde
Anne De Broca	...	Femme choeur sarde
Joëlle Faye	...	Femme choeur sarde
Léa Crespi	...	La photographe
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Raynaud Gerald	...	Un ouvrier
Scali Delpeyrat	...	Humoriste matinal (uncredited)
Jean-Yves Freyburger	...	Invité soirée (uncredited)

Directed by
Pierre Schoeller

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Pierre Schoeller

Produced by
André Bouvard	....	executive producer
Jean-Pierre Dardenne	....	producer
Luc Dardenne	....	producer
Denis Freyd	....	producer

Original Music by
Philippe Schoeller

Cinematography by
Julien Hirsch

Film Editing by
Laurence Briaud

Casting by
Aurélie Guichard

Costume Design by
Pascaline Chavanne

Makeup Department
Mathieu Baptista	....	special makeup effects artist
Michèle Constantinides	....	key makeup artist
Fabrice Herbet	....	special makeup effects artist
Christophe Pizetta	....	special makeup effects artist

Production Management
Michael Ermogeni	....	unit production manager
Jules Raillard	....	unit manager
Rodolphe Risse	....	assistant post-production manager
Elsa Rysto	....	assistant unit manager
Véronique Troyas	....	post-production manager
Michel Vieu	....	unit manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Mallorie Ballestra-Duquesnoy	....	third assistant director
Laetitia Cazaux	....	trainee assistant director
Olivier Coutard	....	first assistant director
Anne Gilles	....	second assistant director
Haruyo Yokota	....	assistant director

Art Department
Vincent Amiel	....	construction coordinator
Pauline Gracia	....	set dresser
Clotilde Lourd	....	first assistant decorator
Galien Malferiol	....	carpenter
Aymeric Vanelle	....	carpenter

Sound Department
Leo Banderet	....	boom operator
Sandie Bompar	....	dialogue editor
Julie Brenta	....	sound editor
Christophe Burdet	....	assistant foley artist
Patrick Egreteau	....	foley artist
Thomas Gastinel	....	boom operator
Vincent Gregorio	....	sound assistant
Jean-Pierre Laforce	....	sound re-recording mixer
Pierre Picq	....	boom operator
Cécile Ranc	....	sound editor

Special Effects by
Jérémy B. Caravita	....	special effects makeup
Fabrice Herbet	....	special effects makeup
Christophe Pizetta	....	special effects makeup

Visual Effects by
Berengere Dominguez	....	visual effects coordinator
Thibault Martegani	....	digital compositor
Martial Vallanchon	....	visual effects supervisor

Stunts
Francis Auguy	....	stunts
Michel Bouis	....	stunts
Gilles Cappelletto	....	stunts
Antonio Cides	....	stunts
Gilles Conseil	....	stunt coordinator
Kevin Conseil	....	stunts
Sylvain Gabet	....	stunts
Jean-Benoit Guillon	....	stunts
Christophe Marsaud	....	stunts
Audrey Ottaviano	....	stunts
Jean-Charles Rousseau	....	stunts
Ksénia Zarouba	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Olivier Abelé	....	electrician
Raphael André	....	second assistant camera
Aymerick Ansiot	....	additional grip
Jean-Christophe Beauvallet	....	first assistant camera
Raphael Besson	....	electrician
Jean-Marc Dupuy	....	key grip
Christophe Duroyaume	....	gaffer
Alexandre François	....	grip
Olivier Haie	....	electrician
Alexandre Lamoisson	....	additional grip
Laurent Pouchard	....	grip
Jérôme Prébois	....	still photographer

Casting Department
Beatrice Saorin	....	casting (original casting)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Caroline de Tugny	....	patina & tint

Editorial Department
Gwenaëlle Hubert	....	assistant editor
Audrey Kleinclaus	....	lab post-production coordinator: Eclairgroup
Laure Meynet	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Vladislav Boyadjiev	....	assistant scoring engineer
Vladislav Boyadjiev	....	scoring engineer

Other crew
Lise Ariotti	....	administratrice de production
Corinne Devaux	....	choreographer
Bénédicte Kermadec	....	script supervisor
Nathalie Nouaili	....	location scout (2011)
Manuel Pouet	....	location scout

Thanks
Olivier Suffert	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Archipel 35 (co-production)
• Les Films du Fleuve (co-production)
• France 3 Cinéma (co-production)
• Radio Télévision Belge Francophone (RTBF) (co-production)
• Belgacom (co-production)
• Centre National de la Cinématographie (CNC) (participation)
• Eurimages (participation)
• Canal+ (participation)
• Ciné+ (participation)
• France Télévision (participation)
• Soficinéma 7 (in association with)
• Région Wallone (in association with)
• Bruxelles Capitale (in association with)
• Le Tax Shelter du Gouvernement Fédéral de Belgique (support)
• Casa Kafka Pictures (support)
• Casa Kafka Pictures Movie Tax Shelter Empowered by Dexia (support)
• Inver Invest (support)
• Cofinova 7 (in association with)
• Procirep (production support)
• Angoa-Agicoa (production support)
• SIF309 Film & Music Productions (Film Score Recording)

Distributors

• PARLUX Entertainment (2012) (Hungary) (all media)
• Diaphana Films (2011) (France) (theatrical)
• StraDa Films (2012) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Against Gravity (2012) (Poland) (all media)
• Cinéart (2012) (Belgium) (DVD)
• Doc & Film International (2011) (worldwide) (all media)
• Funfilm Distribution (2012) (Canada) (all media)
• Njutafilms (2012) (Sweden) (all media)
• Only Hearts Company (2013) (Japan) (DVD)
• P.F.A. Films (2013) (Italy) (all media)

Special Effects

• Mac Guff Ligne (visual effects)

Also Known As:

"L'exercice de l'État" - France (original title)

Runtime:

115 min

Country:

France | Belgium

Language:

French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Certification:

Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | Singapore:R21 | France:U

Filming Locations:

Autoroute A406, Mâcon, Saône-et-Loire, France

Company:

Archipel 35

Politics 1on1

Not really, but I really couldn't begin to tell you what the movie is about. Well it is about politics and it seems to be quite straightforward most of the time (with a fantastic lead performance, that should earn the actor recognition), but there is more to than meets the eye. Even when things meet the eye (the eccentric, weird and completely strange intro to the movie), you're not sure if there is more to it than just that.

The inciting incident, where we only see the aftermath, will have its mirror scene, that will at least startle you. The other reviewer said it too, the impact of that scene is more than just powerful. It freezes you in a very strange way. I can't put my finger on it, but this movie is something that you should watch, if you like dramas and looking behind curtains. You might see things in there, that I didn't notice.