La vie rêvée des anges (1998)

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 | Coma | Friendship | Dream | Lille

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)
• Crest International (Japan) (theatrical)
• Alta Films (Spain)
• Argentina Video Home (Argentina) (VHS)
• Atalanta Filmes (Portugal)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• 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

First feature absolutely stunning

At the risk of sounding like a quote whore, if I see ten films better than this one released this year, 1999 is going to be an excellent year. First time director Erick Zonca has made an absolutely stunning debut, which not only resonates while you watch it, but gets you thinking afterwards (for example, I didn't get that last shot right away, but after thinking about it, I did). And while there's a philosophical point to be made, this is not what I would call a "nothingness of being" movie, where the primary interest of the filmmaker would seem to be either lecturing the audience, or in self-indulgent symbolism. Instead, Zonca makes his points lightly and carefully, allowing them to build up for us later.

Of course, it also helps that he has the services of Elodie Bouchez and Natacha Regnier, who deservedly shared the Best Actress Award at Cannes last year(and if there's any justice, will be nominated for an Oscar this year). Bouchez's Isa is hooked on life, in a dreamy way, and is open to all the possibilities, yet she sees how fleeting it all is. Regnier's Marie, on the other hand, doesn't expect much from the hand she's been dealt, and enters a bad relationship because of it, but there's enough there that we desperately wish she could find the peace Isa wishes her near the end. I forget who said great acting is in the eyes, but Bouchez and Regnier certainly qualify there; you can see the life in Bouchez's, and the cold resignation in Regnier's. This is an outstanding film.