Holy Lola (2004)

Director:

Bertrand Tavernier

Writers:

Dominique Sampiero
Bertrand Tavernier
(more)

Release Date:

24 November 2004 (France)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

The trials and tribulations of a French couple's efforts to adopt an orphan baby in Cambodia. |

Plot Keywords:

Nudity | Child Abandonment | Cambodia | Police | Hospital

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Jacques Gamblin	...	Dr. Pierre Ceyssac
Isabelle Carré	...	Géraldine Ceyssac
Bruno Putzulu	...	Marco Folio
Lara Guirao	...	Annie
Frédéric Pierrot	...	Xavier
Maria Pitarresi	...	Sandrine Folio
Jean-Yves Roan	...	Michel
Séverine Caneele	...	Patricia
Gilles Gaston-Dreyfus	...	Yves Fontaine
Anne Loiret	...	Nicole
Philippe Saïd	...	Bernard
Vongsa Chea	...	Docteur Sim Duong
Pridi Phath	...	Monsieur Sokhom
Neary Kol	...	Kim Saly
Rithy Panh	...	Monsieur Khieu
Narith Ponn	...	Nourrice Lola
Srey Pich Krang	...	Lola
Anne-Marie Philipe	...	Marianne
Daniel Langlet	...	Monsieur Detambel
Corinne Thézier	...	Isabelle Fontaine
Vann Touch	...	Madame Treng
Duc Dung	...	Monsieur Treng
Sothea Tran	...	Monsieur Cheng
Philippe Vieux	...	Jérôme
Nathalie Bécue	...	Sabine
Melody Touch	...	Melody
Mariecke de Bussac	...	Mère Géraldine
Sophoan Som	...	Directrice Holy Baby 2
Laurence Lasheb	...	Béatrice
Chanra Pha	...	Le neveu
Sauphear Tep	...	Chauffeur directeur Kep
Robert Sam	...	Le chef Kep
Savuth Tan	...	Frère de Monsieur Sokhom
Somany Na	...	Chenda
Théo Royer	...	Dara
Sokunthol Pa	...	Intermédiaire Marco
Marie Leclercq	...	Bénévole déchetterie
Claire Vidoni	...	Epouse adoptante
Ky Eng Lim	...	Directeur Holy Baby
Reaksmey Nhem	...	Deuxième nounou
Sokhen Chour	...	Fonctionnaire district
José Pinault	...	Adoptant "Shalimar"
Kuy Chanthra Soeur	...	Militaire Conseil des ministres
Sina Ouch	...	Fonctionnaire Conseil des ministres
Patrick Courteix	...	Luc
Jean-Marc Khao	...	Fonctionnaire ministère de l'Intérieur
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Torn Chorn
Vanthon Duong
Sethy Dy
Lauren-Soriya Ky
Borivan Phav
Maynching Ung	...	Taxi driver

Directed by
Bertrand Tavernier

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Dominique Sampiero
Bertrand Tavernier
Tiffany Tavernier

Produced by
Frédéric Bourboulon	....	producer

Original Music by
Henri Texier

Cinematography by
Alain Choquart

Film Editing by
Sophie Brunet

Production Design by
Giuseppe Ponturo

Costume Design by
Eve-Marie Arnault

Makeup Department
Agnès Tassel	....	key makeup artist

Production Management
Martin Jaubert	....	unit production manager
Marc Olla	....	production manager
Chenda Sok	....	apprentice unit manager
Cheap Sovichea	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Anne Gilles	....	second assistant director
Pascal Guérin	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Mélissa Ponturo	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Jean-Michel Chauvet	....	boom operator
Erwan Cossic	....	dialog editor
Gérard Lamps	....	sound re-recording mixer
Dominique Levert	....	sound
Laurent Lévy	....	foley artist
Johann Nallet	....	sound recordist
Elisabeth Paquotte	....	sound editor
Christian Riffard	....	post-production audio
Eric Tisserand	....	sound mixer
Jean-Alexandre Villemer	....	sound recordist

Visual Effects by
Frederic Moreau	....	visual effects producer

Camera and Electrical Department
Albert Bonomi	....	key grip
Marc Casi	....	grip
Etienne George	....	still photographer
Romain Lacourbas	....	second assistant camera

Editorial Department
Fabien Perniceni	....	editing supporter

Music Department
Louis Sclavis	....	musician: clarinet and saxophone
Henri Texier	....	composer: theme music

Other crew
Jean-Jacques Boulben	....	production accountant
Laurence Granec	....	press attache
Pascal Grisoni	....	trainee unit manager: Paris
Sreyra In	....	production staff
Daniel Marchetti	....	credits
Karine Menard	....	press attache
Zoe Zurstrassen	....	script supervisor

Thanks
Norodom Sihanouk	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Little Bear
• Les Films Alain Sarde
• TF1 Films Production
• Canal+ (participation)
• Sofica Valor 6 (participation)
• Sogécinéma 2 (participation)

Distributors

• Monopole-Pathé (2004-2005) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Lucky Red (2005) (Italy) (all media)
• TFM Distribution (France)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (Switzerland) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Transpalux  lighting

Also Known As:

"Glykia Lola" - Greece (TV title)
"La pequeña Lola" - Spain
"La piccola Lola" - Italy
"To paidi tis kardias mas" - Greece (DVD title)

Runtime:

France:128 min

Country:

France

Language:

French | English | Italian | Central Khmer

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Germany:o.Al. | Brazil:12 | Australia:M | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud)

Filming Locations:

Cambodia

Company:

Little Bear

Trivia:

Visa d'exploitation en france : #106379

An emotional roller-coaster.

Holy Lola (20040

Directed by Bertrand Tavernier

Starring Jacques Gamblin(L'Enfer), Isabelle Carré (He Loves Me. He Loves Me Not)

An emotional roller-coaster of the trials and tribulations of a French couples efforts to adopt an orphan baby in Cambodia.

Monsoon season, a husband and wife arrive in Cambodia having completed reams of paperwork back home in order to be able to adopt a baby, they end up at a hotel full of similar couples some of whom have already been there several weeks waiting for their chance.

For two hours or so we follow them around visiting orphanages, small villages and facing a steady stream of bribery and corruption in their attempt to obtain the one thing they feel will make their lives complete.

Heartache, joy, disappointment, frustration, the emotions soar and dive as an opportunity ends in an empty promise. Babies often stolen from their mothers are offered for a price, a phone call from an orphanage will end in bitterness because another (usually American) couple have used large amounts of cash to jump the queue and have taken the child.

Even when they eventually manage to find a beautiful orphan baby girl already rejected by another couple, the endless paperwork and bribes needed to complete even the simplest of tasks leads to arguments and despair. Physically, emotionally and financially drained, you wonder will they ever be able to leave Cambodia with the child of their dreams?

Hand-held camera-work and totally naturalistic acting gives the film an almost documentary feel, the emotional highs and lows are so perfectly played that you could easily believe this is all for real. How real couples can handle this sort of situation, the faith, love and fortitude needed must be incredible.

This is no travelogue, you get the non tourist Cambodia including a visit to a large open garbage tip where hundreds of people from very young children to the very old eke out an existence scrabbling through other peoples waste. You also see the wards in the orphanages of the babies nobody wants, babies with Aids etc.

A very good film but with a couple of minor flaws, you lose a sense of time, I honestly couldn't say how long the search for the baby took? This along with the follow up frustration of sorting out all the paperwork to be able to take the baby back to France, it could have been weeks or even months, I honestly haven't got a clue. The constant dashing from here to there, from hotel to orphanage to village etc leaves you feeling lost and in a sense frustrated as to why, but that does in a sense draw you into the same emotional state as the couple as each trip they make ends in more and more frustration.

All in all, not your typical film but if it does pique your interest, it will grab you and drag you along on a literally dizzying ride. It is tough going but I felt it was more than worth it to for the amazing performances (especially the main couple) and to get a real sense of life in Cambodia.

Cheers Trev.