The Tree (2010)

After the death of her father, an 8-year-old girl becomes convinced that he is whispering to her through the leaves of the gargantuan tree that towers over her house.

Director:

Julie Bertuccelli

Writers:

Judy Pascoe (novel), Julie Bertuccelli

Stars:

Charlotte Gainsbourg, Morgan Davies, Marton Csokas

1 win & 16 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Charlotte Gainsbourg	...	Dawn
Morgan Davies	...	Simone (as Morgana Davies)
Marton Csokas	...	George
Christian Byers	...	Tim
Tom Russell	...	Lou
Gabriel Gotting	...	Charlie
Aden Young	...	Peter
Penne Hackforth-Jones	...	Mrs Johnson
Gillian Jones	...	Vonnie
Zoe Boe	...	Megan Lu
Bob MacKay	...	Ab
Ryan Potter	...	Tree Lopper
Murray Shoring	...	Council Inspector
Taren Stewart	...	Lou's friend
Robert Joseph Stewart	...	Lou's friend

Storyline

The O'Neills lived happily in their house in the Australian countryside. That was until one day fate struck blindly, taking the life of Peter, the father, leaving his grief-stricken wife Dawn alone with their four children. Among them, eight-year-old Simone denies this reality. She is persuaded that her father still lives in the giant fig tree growing near their house and speaks to her through its leaves. But the tree becomes more and more invasive and threatens the house. It must be felled. Of course, Simone won't allow...

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Plot Keywords:

australian | death of loved one | house | tree | countryside | 

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Taglines:

Life is a force of nature

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Official Sites:

Official Blog Official Facebook

Country:

France Australia Germany Italy

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 August 2010 (France)

Also Known As:

The Tree

Filming Locations:

Boonah, Queensland, Australia

Box Office

Budget:

EUR7,740,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$4,983, 17 July 2011

Gross USA:

$71,158

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$2,219,182

Company Credits

Production Co:

Les Films du Poisson, Taylor Media, Screen Australia

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital Dolby SR

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

About two hundred little girls were auditioned for Simone's role and a thousand fig trees were visited before the perfect one was found.

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Goofs

No competent tradesman in Australia would pull a tree branch out of a house in the manner shown. Sections inside the house would be trimmed with a chainsaw, before the main branch outside is removed.

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Quotes

Tim O'Neil: Happy families are boring anyway.

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Crazy Credits

"No animals or trees were harmed while filming"

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Connections

Featured in At the Movies: Cannes Film Festival 2010 (2010)

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Soundtracks

Sway (Quien Sera)
Written by Pablo Beltrán Ruiz (as P. Beltran Ruiz), Luis Demetrio (as L. Traconia Molina) and Norman Gimbel
Performed by Dean Martin

User Reviews

a moving and serene examination of grief, greatly acted

The universal theme of suffering after the abrupt death of a dear one, with the necessity for those who remain to go on with life, is here presented in a very serene way. No melodrama, no anxiety, no exaggeration in sensitivity, but solid realism, with a touch of the magic of this tree, heart of the family and of the movie. It's a movie which follows the pace and the inner development of the single characters, mainly of Dawn, the mother, and Simone, the daughter, both wonderfully interpreted by a high-talented Charlotte Gainsbourg, and by a surprisingly mature little girl. It's a movie about the need to go on, to accept the strokes of life with the force and dignity that, let me say it, sometimes only women have, with no sentimentalism, no pathetic indulgence, but with sober realism and a strong feeling for human courage. Another movie that unfortunately will not reach the great distribution, but we know that the phantasmagoric magic of Harry Potter attracts more public and brings more money than the humble magic of a fig tree. However, a truly valid picture.