Café de Flore (2011)

A love story between a man and woman. And between a mother and her son. A mystical and fantastical odyssey on love.

Director:

Jean-Marc Vallée

Writer:

Jean-Marc Vallée

Stars:

Vanessa Paradis, Kevin Parent, Hélène Florent

9 wins & 19 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Vanessa Paradis	...	Jacqueline
Kevin Parent	...	Antoine Godin
Hélène Florent	...	Carole
Evelyne Brochu	...	Rose
Marin Gerrier	...	Laurent
Alice Dubois	...	Véronique
Evelyne de la Chenelière	...	Amélie
Michel Dumont	...	Julien Godin
Linda Smith	...	Louise Godin
Joanny Corbeil-Picher	...	Juliette
Rosalie Fortier	...	Angéline
Michel Laperrière	...	Le psychologue
Caroline Bal	...	La mère de Véronique
Nicolas Marié	...	Le père de Véronique
Pascal Elso	...	Paul

Storyline

A love story about people separated by time and place but connected in profound and mysterious ways. Atmospheric, fantastical, tragic and hopeful, the film chronicles the parallel fates of Jacqueline, a young mother with a disabled son in 1960s Paris, and Antoine, a recently divorced, successful DJ in present day Montreal. What binds the two stories together is love - euphoric, obsessive, tragic, youthful, timeless love. In 1960s Paris, a working class woman gives birth to her first child, Laurent - a Down Syndrome son. Undaunted she embraces the challenge of raising her beloved offspring as normally as one would any other child. Her husband abandons them both. She bravely brushes this additional hiccup aside as Laurent replaces her spouse as the perfect man of her dreams. As Laurent approaches school age Jacqueline's aplomb becomes obsessive and cloying. Her increasingly self-destructive attachment to her son is raised to a fever pitch when, at the age of seven, he meets a Down ...

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Plot Keywords:

love | divorce | down syndrome | 1960s | school | 

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Taglines:

Healing a broken heart isn't easy. Sometimes it takes a lifetime...or two.

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Official Sites:

Official site Official site [Japan]

Country:

Canada France

Language:

French

Release Date:

18 November 2011 (Canada)

Also Known As:

Ruh Esim

Filming Locations:

Canada

Box Office

Budget:

CAD 10,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Item 7, Monkey Pack Films, Backup Media

Technical Specs

Runtime:

120 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Director and writer Jean-Marc Vallée originally wanted Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven" as part of the film's soundtrack, however while Jimmy Page eventually agreed to its use, Robert Plant nixed the idea.

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Quotes

La médium: The meeting of twin flames is when the soul finds its other half on the path homeward, to the source.The cycle of reincarnation ends. It's the final relationship that leads to unity.

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Soundtracks

Big Freeze
Written by Serge Pelletier, Mathieu Pontbriand, Christian Baang, Joseph Perrault, Sara Belle Humble
Éditorial Avenue
Performed by Pawa Up First
Authorised by Dare to Care Records

User Reviews

A heartbreaking and redeeming look at love. Elegantly executed.

Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. I usually dislike indie films and their lack of plot (Las Acacias) or often, even endings.

This was a real movie, about real emotions, and really imperfect individuals. Beautiful energy as added with the music, the emotions were aptly and strongly felt with its aid.

The subplot of past lives makes one wonder whether or not one believes in it, and if so how much? Just breathtaking. Even if you don't love it as much as I do, it is a worthy film worth viewing and giving an open hearted chance to. Who knows? You might be moved, you hard nosed cynicist, you :)