The Kid with a Bike (2011)
"Le gamin au vélo" (original title)

Abandoned by his father, a young boy is left in a state-run youth farm. In a random act of kindness, the town hairdresser agrees to foster him on weekends.

Directors:

Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne

Writers:

Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne

Stars:

Thomas Doret, Cécile De France, Jérémie Renier

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 7 wins & 12 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Thomas Doret	...	Cyril Catoul
Cécile De France	...	Samantha
Jérémie Renier	...	Guy Catoul
Fabrizio Rongione	...	Le libraire
Egon Di Mateo	...	Wes
Olivier Gourmet	...	Le patron du bar
Batiste Sornin	...	Educateur 1 (as Baptiste Sornin)
Samuel De Rijk	...	Educateur 2
Carl Jadot	...	L'instituteur
Claudy Delfosse	...	L'homme gare de bus
Jean-Michel Balthazar	...	Le voisin Val Polet
Frédéric Dussenne	...	Le concierge
Myriem Akeddiou	...	L'assistante médicale (as Myriem Akheddiou)
Sandra Raco	...	L'éducatrice
Hicham Slaoui	...	Le directeur

Storyline

At about 11, the stubborn and impulsive Cyril seems on his way to delinquency: he has no mother, his father wants a new life without him, so he's in a foster institution. He searches for his father, wanting him and his bike. Through the intersession of Samantha, a hairdresser Cyril happens upon, he gets his bike back, and she offers to take him into her home on weekends. He remains aloof from her and gets involved with a young crook. Is Cyril intent on driving Samantha away - and what then?

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Plot Keywords:

boy | father | nickname | father son reunion | foster home | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for thematic elements, violence, brief language and smoking

Details

Official Sites:

Diaphana [fr] Official site

Country:

Belgium France Italy

Language:

French

Release Date:

18 May 2011 (Belgium)

Also Known As:

Untitled Dardenne Brothers Project

Filming Locations:

Liège, Wallonia, Belgium

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$45,933 (USA) (16 March 2012)

Gross:

$1,384,749 (USA) (8 June 2012)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Les Films du Fleuve, Archipel 35, Lucky Red

Technical Specs

Runtime:

87 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The script was structured with a fairytale in mind, where the boy would lose his illusions and Samantha would appear as a fairy-like figure.

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Goofs

When the hairdresser is leaving the orphanage after she returned Cyrill's bike the car she iss driving makes the sound of Diesel engine, but in the next scene with the same car the car sounds like it has a petrol engine.

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Connections

Features Gears of War 3 (2011)

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Soundtracks

"Adagio un poco mosso"
from Piano Concerto No. 5, Op. 73
written by Ludwig van Beethoven
performed by Alfred Brendel and the London Philharmonic Orchestra
conducted by Bernard Haitink

User Reviews

A Belgian take on a too-universal story

This film takes place in Europe (Belgium, apparently) so it has far less of the violence that would accompany the same story set in America. But otherwise the story is particularly painful to watch because the essential elements - a kid without a father, his self-hate and anger, the substitute father figures laying in wait - are directly relevant to the American context. In a lean, tough story, the film takes us through a broad tour of the issues and risks and even reasons for hope in these situations. Young Thomas Doret fiercely embodies the aching and the rage of a boy who wants a father at any price and is a near-force of nature in trying to obtain what should be his by right. Cécile De France's Samantha has numerous real-life counter-parts, credited by more than one survivor of these dilemmas, but not always successful in their roles as passionate rescuers. How this particular story turns out is not so important as the realization that all across the world children live in Cyril's situation; some make it, many don't.