La vie rêvée des anges (1998)

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Director:

Erick Zonca

Writers:

Erick Zonca (writer) &
Roger Bohbot (writer) ...
(more)

Release Date:

9 September 1998 (Belgium)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

In Lille, two penniless young women with few prospects become friends. Isa moves in with Marie, who's...

Plot Keywords:

Hospital | Friend | Coma | Lille | Friendship

Awards:

16 wins & 11 nominations

Cast

Élodie Bouchez	...	Isabelle 'Isa' Tostin
Natacha Régnier	...	Marie Thomas
Grégoire Colin	...	Chriss
Patrick Mercado	...	Charly
Jo Prestia	...	Fredo
Francine Massenhave	...	La gardienne
Zivko Niklevski	...	Le patron Yougoslave
Murielle Colvez	...	Le chef d'atelier
Lyazid Ouelhadj	...	Le vendeur de billets
Frédérique Hazard	...	La mère de Marie
Jean-Michel Lemayeux	...	L'interne
Louise Motte	...	Sandrine Val
Rosa Maria	...	La première infirmière
Corinne Masiero	...	La femme du Hollywood
Xavier Denamur	...	L'homme des patins
Juliette Richevaux	...	Solène
Stéphanie Delerue	...	Léa
Mireille Bidon	...	La seconde infirmière
Christian Cailleret	...	Monsieur Val
Gérard Beyrand	...	Le contremaitre
Benoît Tiberti
Francine Nero
Luc Langlet
Claude Ulieghe
Gricha Kowalewski
Diane Dufour

Directed by
Erick Zonca

Writing credits
Erick Zonca		(writer) &
Roger Bohbot		(writer)
Virginie Wagon		(artistic collaboration)
Pierre Chosson		writer

Produced by
François Marquis	....	producer
Michel Saint-Jean	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Yann Tiersen

Cinematography by
Agnès Godard
Dominique Le Rigoleur

Film Editing by
Yannick Kergoat

Casting by
Antoine Carrard

Production Design by
Jimmy Vansteenkiste

Costume Design by
Françoise Clavel

Makeup Department
Laurence Grosjean	....	makeup artist
Christian Gruau	....	hair stylist
Sarah Guetta	....	hair stylist
Stéphane Malheu	....	hair stylist

Production Management
François Lamotte	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Hubert Barbin	....	first assistant director
Alexandre Billon	....	second assistant director
Cristina Zonca	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Philippe Bonnard	....	props
Patrick Colpaert	....	assistant decorator

Sound Department
Jean-Luc Audy	....	sound engineer
Nicolas Becker	....	foley artist
Olivier Busson	....	boom operator
Nicolas Chaudeurge	....	assistant foley artist
Diane De Pirey	....	assistant sound editor
Fred Mays	....	post-synchronization
Muriel Moreau	....	sound editor
Stéphane Thiébaut	....	sound mixer

Camera and Electrical Department
Philippe Andron	....	grip
Raphael Bauche	....	second assistant camera (as Raphaël Bauche)
Abdellah Belbecir	....	grip
Alain Grestau	....	gaffer
Amar Kabouche	....	electrician
Luc Pallet	....	first assistant camera
Galatae Politis	....	first assistant camera
Olivier Regent	....	gaffer

Editorial Department
Pierre Berlot	....	color timer
Sophie Henocq	....	assistant editor
Laure Meynet	....	assistant editor

Other crew
Nicolas Becker	....	effects
Sophie Goldman	....	production assistant
Eric Gueret	....	production coordinator
Maureen Meyer	....	continuity
Rémi Roy	....	production accountant

Production Companies

• Diaphana Films
• Les Productions Bagheera
• France 3 Cinéma
• Canal+
• Centre National de la Cinématographie (CNC)
• Fondation GAN pour le Cinéma
• Procirep

Distributors

• Diaphana Films (France) (theatrical)
• France Télévision Distribution (1999) (France) (DVD)
• Alta Films (Spain)
• Argentina Video Home (Argentina) (VHS)
• Atalanta Filmes (Portugal)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• Crest International (Japan) (theatrical)
• EDKO Film (Hong Kong)
• Primer Plano Film Group (Argentina)
• Sony Pictures Classics (USA)

Also Known As:

The Daydreams of Angels (USA) (video title)
The Dreamlife of Angels (USA)
La vida soñada de los ángeles (Argentina) (Spain) [es]
Änglars drömliv (Sweden) [sv]
Élet, amiröl az angyalok álmodnak (Hungary) [hu]
Îngeri cazuti (Romania) [ro]
A Vida Sonhada dos Anjos (Portugal) [pt]
Englenes drømmeliv (Denmark) [da]
Enkelten unelmaelämä (Finland) [fi]
I oneiremeni zoi ton angelon (Greece) (festival title) [el]
La vita sognata degli angeli (Italy) [it]
Liebe das Leben (Germany) [de]
Meleklerin düs yasami (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]

MPAA:

Rated R for some strong sexuality.

Runtime:

113 min

Country:

France

Language:

French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Canada:14A | Chile:18 | Finland:K-14 | France:U | Germany:12 (bw) | Hong Kong:IIB | Italy:VM14 | New Zealand:R16 | Norway:11 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:M18 | South Korea:18 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | UK:18 | USA:NC-17 (original rating) | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Evéché, Lille, Nord, France

Company:

Diaphana Films

Quotes:

Isa: I'd like to see you when you realize that you need other people.
Marie Thomas: I'll send you a photo.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in High Fidelity (2000)

Soundtrack:

Rue des Cascades

Poignant tale of two young women with diametrical viewpoint to life -- terrific performances!

Writer-director Erick Zonca's debut film certainly is a bold attempt with no apology to the subjects at hand. He succeeded in delivering the many facets of living and loving -- essentially surviving life's difficulties and juxtaposing how one, with persistence, can come through it all vs. the flip side of a helpless condition -- a suicidal person in one's own entrapment.

Isa is the embodiment of tenacity and hope eternal, while Marie is depressive non self-loving personified. Isa's goal in life is to appreciate living, however modest, and her willingness to help others, to share a little happiness keeps her going in spite of all odds. Marie, on the other hand, is the extreme opposite: she has no love for anything or anyone -- she hates herself, her mother, her family, her life -- her low self-esteem alienated herself and the people around her who really care for her. A delusional cocoon she's wrapped herself in, and when it breaks, it crumbles to a point of no return. It's depressing to see her development, or rather, non-development, while it's uplifting to see Isa balancing the harsh realities of life.

Due credits to the two main leading ladies, Elodie Bouchez as Isa and Natacha Regnier as Marie. Bouchez really shines: her smile, her candidness, her enthusiasm in living exudes on her face! Self-esteem is an important element and that is what character Marie very much is lacking. Emotionally unbalanced with violent reactions, she does not know what to do with herself or what she wants -- aimlessly she seeks for affection mistaken as lovingness; she's numb and unreachable. She took Isa's friendship for granted while Isa tries her utmost to 'save' Marie from falling into a helpless self-pitiful state.

Miracles do happen. Tenacity does reward. Tragedy is by fate destined. Marie asked, "what if the other person refuses," and Isa said, "you move on". We are fortunate to be able to learn with Isa, smile and laugh with her, explore and read the diary book, visit Sandrine at the hospital, talk to Sandrine, touch her, and hope and pray with her. There is strength in Isa's brilliant smiling face -- gentleness and human spirit she truly stands for. She is an angel, a godsend!

This is NFE (not for everyone): there are explicit intimate scenes and the behavior displayed by character Marie is not encouraged, thus mature audience consumption only. It's in French. Pacing is relatively tight compared to most French films.

Anne Fontaine's "Dry Cleaning" is another French film subtly interweaved the depiction of a young man who has depressive suicidal bent without being evident. It describes a couple, Miou-Miou's character Nicole, a discontented wife married 15 years to a Dry Cleaning business owner, Jean-Marie (portrayed by Charles Berling), leading a rather uneventful life in this small suburban town, when one day, Loic the young man (sensitively portrayed by Stanislas Merhar) entered their lives, home and stirred emotional havoc. Good performances in spite of the lull steady pace. For mature and patient audience. Another NFE.