Armed Hands (2012) Mains armées (original title)

Director:

Pierre Jolivet

Writers:

Pierre Jolivet (writer)
Simon Michaël (writer)

Release Date:

11 July 2012 (France)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Plot:

Lucas and his team are after a gang of Serbian criminals using NATO-issued weapons. As the investigation leads him to Paris, Lucas attempts to reconnect with his estranged daughter, a young narc officer.

Plot Keywords:

Narc | Investigation | Gun | Arms Trafficking | Corrupt Police

Cast

Roschdy Zem	...	Lucas Scali
Leïla Bekhti	...	Maya Dervin
Marc Lavoine	...	Julien Bass
Nicolas Bridet	...	Simon
Nicolas Marié	...	Michel Thabuy
Nina Meurisse	...	Juliette
Eric Bougnon	...	Melik
Marilyne Canto	...	Brigitte, la mère de Maya
Adrien Jolivet	...	Hector
Cyril Guei	...	Benji
Clémentine Poidatz	...	Nathalie
Simon-Pierre Boireau	...	Anthony
Marc Robert	...	Lieutenant Marc de Fontbrun
Bruno Debrandt	...	Stéphane Assor
Gérard Meylan	...	Paul Amera
Luis Inacio	...	Patron Ramdam
Jonathan Cohen	...	Philippe
Rasha Bukvic	...	Ketan
Arben Bajraktaraj	...	Gustav Alana 'Coach'
Steve Kalfa	...	Le père d'Hector
Pierre Hiessler	...	Guisseaux
Martin Pautard	...	Anzio
Mayel Elhajaoui	...	Kader
Imer Kutllovci	...	Mislav (as Imer Kutlovic)
Pierre Alloggia	...	Le chauffeur de taxi
Clémence Aubry	...	Mme Bass
Benjamin Broux	...	Réceptionniste hôtel Skali
Gauthier de la Touche	...	Le maraîcher
Alexandre de Seze	...	Lieutenant commissariat banlieue
Céline Espérin	...	Journaliste TV
Adrien Hagège	...	Expert police scientifique
Jean-Baptiste Iera	...	Compagnon Fontbrun (as Gio Iera)
Philippe Krhajac	...	Patron Etoile de Zagreb
Jérémie Loiseau	...	Stagiaire Laurent
Michaël Vander-Meiren	...	Douanier péage
Eric Revue	...	Urgentiste
Catherine Bruchon	...	Passante
Marguerite Didierjean	...	Assistante Michel
Philippe Hagège	...	Spécialiste canalisations
Olivier Jacquet	...	Le vendeur de journaux

Directed by
Pierre Jolivet

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Pierre Jolivet		writer
Simon Michaël		writer

Produced by
Xavier Rigault	....	producer
Marc-Antoine Robert	....	producer

Original Music by
Adrien Jolivet
Sacha Sieff

Cinematography by
Thomas Letellier

Casting by
Michael Laguens

Costume Design by
Chloé Lesueur

Makeup Department
Jean-Christophe Roger	....	additional makeup artist

Production Management
Jean-Louis Bergamini	....	unit manager
Johanna Colboc	....	unit production manager
Christina Crassaris	....	post-production supervisor
Marie Giustinati	....	assistant post-production manager
Philippe Hagège	....	production manager
Marie-Anne Houzé	....	assistant unit manager
Bénédicte Page	....	assistant unit manager
Moritz Parisius	....	assistant production manager
Nicolas Renaudin	....	unit manager trainee

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Marguerite Didierjean	....	third assistant director
Olivier Jacquet	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Marie-Stéphane d' Hérouville	....	property buyer
Tania Rotbart	....	first assistant art director

Sound Department
Niels Barletta	....	sound mastering engineer
Pierre Excoffier	....	sound mixer
Valentin Excoffier	....	second sound assistant
Marie Giustinati	....	assistant foley recordist
Jean-Paul Hurier	....	sound re-recording mixer
Fred Mays	....	post-synchronisation
Vincent Montrobert	....	sound editor
Camille Toubkis	....	dialogue editor
Olivier Varenne	....	boom operator

Stunts
Tony Augé	....	stunt performer
Francis Bataille	....	stunt driver
Sybille Blouin	....	stunt performer
William Cagnard	....	stunt performer
Melanie Cazzani	....	stunt driver
Cyrille Dufaut	....	stunt driver
Yves Girard	....	stunt performer
Albert Goldberg	....	stunt coordinator
Ibrahima Keita	....	stunt performer
Eric Mondoloni	....	stunt performer
Patrick Médioni	....	stunt performer
Julien Piguet	....	stunt driver
Patrick Ronchin	....	stunt coordinator: car stunts
Sébastien Seveau	....	stunt driver
Jacques Soufflard	....	stunt driver (as Jack-Alexandre Soufflard)

Camera and Electrical Department
Boris Abaza	....	additional focus puller
Maxime Bonan	....	video operator
Mathieu Caudroy	....	operator: steadicam
Patrick Chizallet	....	grip
Raphaël Dougé	....	second assistant camera
David Frak-Lauer	....	focus puller: "a" camera
Grégory Mamou	....	first assistant camera
Dougé Raphael	....	second assistant camera

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Sylvie Néant	....	costumer

Editorial Department
Jean-Baptiste Combette	....	dailies supervisor
Xavier Desjours	....	dailies color grader
Richard Deusy	....	colorist

Music Department
Loris Bernot	....	music mixer
Olivier Calmel	....	conductor
Olivier Calmel	....	orchestrator
Creaminal	....	music supervisor
Dominique Rossi	....	orchestrator
Clement Souchier	....	music supervisor
Jeanne Trellu	....	music supervisor
Jaco Zijlstra	....	music supervisor

Other crew
Frédéric Cauvy	....	weapons armorer
Michael Chandlee	....	craft service
Charles-Edouard Renault	....	legal counsel

Production Companies

• 2.4.7. Films
• Mars Distribution (co-production) (as Mars Films)
• France 2 Cinéma (co-production)
• Canal+ (participation)
• Ciné+ (participation)
• France Télévision (participation)
• La Banque Postale Images 5 (in association with)

Distributors

• Epcott (2012) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Mars Distribution (2012) (France) (theatrical)
• Films Distribution (2012) (worldwide) (all media)
• Koch Media (2013) (Germany) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Alias Agence Artistique  talent agency
• Creaminal  music supervision

Also Known As:

"Mains armées" - France (original title)

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

France

Language:

French | English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Certification:

Singapore:NC-16 | Germany:16

Filming Locations:

M.I.N., Rungis, Val-de-Marne, France

Company:

2.4.7. Films

Trivia:

Pierre Jolivet chose not to finalize the script before wrapping up his location scouting, so that he could properly incorporate the "look" into the screenplay.

Movie Connections:

References Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985)

Incredible movie.

I am usually pretty downbeat when it comes to the quality of French movies, but this one took me by surprise in a very pleasant way.

The problem with movies I love is that I can't find much to say about them. The story is great, the actors are great, I suppose the direction is great too since I was so immersed in the story that I didn't notice anything about it, and the ending was quite moving as well.

It's a gritty police movie with realistic dialogues, a well-paced and intriguing storyline and a good balance of action and emotion.

Big props to Marc Lavoine who is fantastic as the rotten policeman Julien Bass; I must say I didn't know he could act that well.

Heartily recommended.