Copacabana (2010)

Boldly unconventional and cheerful, that's how one could describe Babou. Never having cared about social conventions, she is suddenly faced with the realization that her own daughter is ... See full summary »

Director:

Marc Fitoussi

Writer:

Marc Fitoussi

Stars:

Isabelle Huppert, Aure Atika, Lolita Chammah

3 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Isabelle Huppert	...	Elisabeth Delmotte dite Babou
Aure Atika	...	Lydie
Lolita Chammah	...	Esméralda Delmotte dite Esmé
Jurgen Delnaet	...	Bart
Chantal Banlier	...	Irène
Magali Woch	...	Sophie
Nelly Antignac	...	Amandine
Guillaume Gouix	...	Kurt
Joachim Lombard	...	Justin
Noémie Lvovsky	...	Suzanne
Luis Rego	...	Patrice
Cyril Couton	...	Martial
François Comar	...	Jacques
Léonie Simaga	...	Katia
Veerle Dobbelaere	...	Petra (as Veerle Dobbelaere)

Storyline

Boldly unconventional and cheerful, that's how one could describe Babou. Never having cared about social conventions, she is suddenly faced with the realization that her own daughter is ashamed of her and therefore refuses to invite her to her wedding. Hurt in her pride, Babou tries to regain her daughter's respect by starting anew. She accepts the challenge of selling time-sharing-flats at the Belgian seaside during the off-season, in a desperate attempt to prove her real worth and her motherly love to her daughter.

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Genres:

Comedy

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Details

Country:

France Belgium

Language:

French Flemish English German

Release Date:

7 July 2010 (France)

Also Known As:

Копакабана

Filming Locations:

Casino, Ostend, Flanders, Belgium

Company Credits

Production Co:

Avenue B Productions, Arte France Cinéma, Mars Films

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The Brasilian song you hear at the end is "Partido alto" by Chico Buarque de Hollanda. In 1973 the French singer Pierre Vassiliu had a n° 1 hit in France with the translated version "Qui c'est celui-là ?"

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Connections

References Misery (1990)

User Reviews

Great performance from Isabelle Huppert

I saw this last month at the 2011 Palm Springs International Film Festival. Isabelle Huppert is a delight and should have been a household name in America but I guess the 57 French film star hasn't made many English language films. Huppert plays Babou, a Bohemian free-spirit non-traditionalist who drifts from job to job and has no serious relationship. Her daughter Esmerelda (played by Huppert's real-life daughter Lolita Chammah) is an uptight traditionalist who is embarrassed by her mother's eccentric dress and attitude and wants to exclude her from attending her upcoming wedding. Babou decides to reform her ways for acceptance in her daughters wedding and gets a job selling timeshares in the off season of a resort city on the Belgian coast. In the supporting cast are Aure Atika as Baou's boss Lydie, Jurgen Delnaet as Babou's temporary love interest Bart, Chantel Banlier as Babou's co-worker and roommate Irene and rounding out the cast are Joachim Lombard, Noemie Lvovsky, Guillaume Gouix, Magli Woch and Nelly Antignac. This is the third feature film for writer/director Marc Fitoussi and he has assembled a great cast of film vets for the roles but it's such a central character driven film that the supporting roles get kind of lost. It's a witty fast moving film with lots of comedy and a great performance by Huppert. Babou dreams of getting away to Copacabana beach in Rio and lately loves everything Brazilian so thus the film's title. I would have liked this film better had the other characters been a little more interesting but I would certainly recommend it and give it an 8.5 out of 10.