Release CalendarTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV News
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightFamily Entertainment GuideIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsCannes Film FestivalStar WarsAsian Pacific American Heritage MonthSummer Watch GuideSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
IMDbPro

What Love Means

Original title: Sa raison d'être
  • TV Movie
  • 2008
  • 3h 20m
IMDb RATING
8.0/10
102
YOUR RATING
What Love Means (2008)
Drama

The movie, for the most part, charts the AIDS epidemic in France from 1980 - present through the microcosm of a family, but particularly through their gay son Nicolas, who narrates the story... Read allThe movie, for the most part, charts the AIDS epidemic in France from 1980 - present through the microcosm of a family, but particularly through their gay son Nicolas, who narrates the story.The movie, for the most part, charts the AIDS epidemic in France from 1980 - present through the microcosm of a family, but particularly through their gay son Nicolas, who narrates the story.

  • Director
    • Renaud Bertrand
  • Writers
    • Pascal Fontanille
    • Véronique Lecharpy
  • Stars
    • Nicolas Gob
    • Michaël Cohen
    • Nozha Khouadra
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    8.0/10
    102
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Renaud Bertrand
    • Writers
      • Pascal Fontanille
      • Véronique Lecharpy
    • Stars
      • Nicolas Gob
      • Michaël Cohen
      • Nozha Khouadra
    • 1User review
    • 1Critic review
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 2 wins total

    Photos3

    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster

    Top cast35

    Edit
    Nicolas Gob
    Nicolas Gob
    • Bruno
    Michaël Cohen
    Michaël Cohen
    • Nicolas
    Nozha Khouadra
    • Nadia
    Julien Alluguette
    • Bertrand Ferrand
    Valérie Donzelli
    Valérie Donzelli
    • Nathalie
    Bérénice Bejo
    Bérénice Bejo
    • Fabienne
    Clémentine Célarié
    Clémentine Célarié
    • Hélène
    Valérie Mairesse
    Valérie Mairesse
    • Mado
    Carlo Brandt
    Carlo Brandt
    • Alain Guichard
    Jean Dell
    • Michel
    Sophie Quinton
    Sophie Quinton
    • Isabelle
    Cyril Descours
    • Jérôme
    Philippe Lefebvre
    • Pierre Bresson
    Alexandra Mercouroff
    • Gabrielle
    Sophie De La Rochefoucauld
    Sophie De La Rochefoucauld
    • Mme Frémond
    Isabelle Ferron
    • Muriel Blondel
    Dominique Frot
    Dominique Frot
    • La femme médecin de Bruno…
    Catherine Hosmalin
    • Chef de service
    • Director
      • Renaud Bertrand
    • Writers
      • Pascal Fontanille
      • Véronique Lecharpy
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews1

    8.0102
    1
    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7
    8
    9
    10

    Featured reviews

    9TrevorJD

    Fascinating, engrossing and crammed with incident - RECOMMENDED!

    I just saw this film as part of the 2009 Mardi Gras Film Festival here in Sydney. It was an engrossing movie / television drama that went for over 3 hours and was presented in two parts. The movie, for the most part, charts the AIDS epidemic in France from 1980 – present through the microcosm of a family, but particularly through their gay son Nicolas, who narrates the story. There are many characters and story lines in the course of this historical drama, and the film is crammed with incident and covers many issues associated with HIV / AIDS and aligning it with political and social changes that were happening in France and the world. Part one of the movie was rather polemical, however the second part was heartbreaking and moving. All the performances were excellent, with a great soundtrack of the changing times. The only reservation I had was the ending. This movie was utterly fascinating and engrossing from start to finish. Recommended.

    More like this

    L'art du crime
    7.2
    L'art du crime
    Un amour à taire
    8.1
    Un amour à taire
    The Past
    7.7
    The Past
    Merci, les enfants vont bien!
    6.0
    Merci, les enfants vont bien!
    Godard Mon Amour
    6.6
    Godard Mon Amour
    Dérive
    7.0
    Dérive
    Cannibal
    3.7
    Cannibal
    After Love
    6.5
    After Love
    The Movie Teller
    6.6
    The Movie Teller

    Storyline

    Edit

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • March 26, 2008 (France)
    • Country of origin
      • France
    • Language
      • French
    • Also known as
      • Was Liebe heißt
    • Production company
      • BE-FILMS
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      3 hours 20 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    What Love Means (2008)
    Top Gap
    By what name was What Love Means (2008) officially released in Canada in English?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb app
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    Follow IMDb on social
    Get the IMDb app
    For Android and iOS
    Get the IMDb app
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • License IMDb Data
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2025 by IMDb.com, Inc.