Un barrage contre le Pacifique (2008)

Director:

Rithy Panh

Writers:

Marguerite Duras (novel)
Michel Fessler (writer)
(more)

Release Date:

7 January 2009 (France)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

A troubled mother's spirit crumbles when her adult children strike out for independence. Feeling abandoned she contemplates taking drastic action.

Plot Keywords:

Remake | Based On Novel

Cast

Isabelle Huppert	...	La mère
Gaspard Ulliel	...	Joseph
Astrid Bergès-Frisbey	...	Suzanne
Randal Douc	...	Monsieur Jo
Vanthon Duong	...	Le caporal
Stéphane Rideau	...	Agosti
Lucy Harrison	...	Carmen
Doeun Thenn Nan	...	M. Khing
Chorn Solyda	...	Le père Sok (as Solida Chorn)
Ingrid Mareski	...	La femme de Pierre
Louis Arsac	...	Pierre
Rosa Meas	...	A'chan
Mang Son	...	A'sok
Phén Vann	...	Le chef du village
Jean-Pol Brissart	...	M. Bideau
Samuel Bartholin	...	M. Jouve
Cédric Eeckhout	...	Jeune agent du cadastre
Cédric Salze	...	L'agent du cadastre
Philippe Garcia	...	Le capitaine français
Emmanuel Collineau	...	Le sergent français
Reaksmei Sorya	...	La femme du caporal
Chantoun Kien	...	Le chauffeur de M. Jo
Sophie Provoost	...	La femme française élégante
Heylen Unac	...	La deuxième femme française
Robert Monet	...	Le civil français
Narith Roeun	...	Le milicien au porte-voix
André Couderchet	...	Le passager
Poline Sok	...	Le bagnard
Vincent Grass	...	Le père Bart

Directed by
Rithy Panh

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Marguerite Duras		novel
Michel Fessler		writer
Rithy Panh		writer

Produced by
Cati Couteau	....	producer
Catherine Dussart	....	producer
Genevieve Lemal	....	co-producer
Alexandre Lippens	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Marc Marder

Cinematography by
Pierre Milon

Film Editing by
Marie-Christine Rougerie

Production Design by
Yan Arlaud

Costume Design by
Edith Vesperini

Makeup Department
Judith Gayo	....	makeup artist
Antonella Prestigiacomo	....	key hair stylist

Production Management
Anne Farrer	....	unit production manager
Pierre Wallon	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Pascal Guérin	....	first assistant director
Leslie Gwinner	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Hélène Imbert	....	head painter
Sreyra In	....	art department coordinator

Sound Department
Marc Bastien	....	sound editor
François Dumont	....	dialogue editor
Thomas Gauder	....	sound re-recording mixer
Pierre Mertens	....	sound
Olivier Thys	....	assistant foley artist
Philippe van Leer	....	foley artist

Special Effects by
Grégoire Delage	....	special effects technician
Charles-Axel Vollard	....	special effects supervisor

Visual Effects by
Benjamin Ageorges	....	visual effects supervisor
Stephane Bidault	....	visual effects supervisor
Nicolas Delbecq	....	digital effects artist
Bruno Nicolas	....	digital artist
Bes Paul-Emmanuel	....	digital artist

Camera and Electrical Department
Thanaporn Arkamanon	....	still photographer
Vincent Buron	....	first assistant camera
Aurélien Gerbault	....	gaffer
Patrick Llopis	....	key grip
Cyril Mousseigne	....	lighting technician

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Marie Rospabe	....	wardrobe

Editorial Department
Mathias Bouffier	....	assistant editor
Mathilde Delacroix	....	color timer

Music Department
Agnès Sénémaud	....	lyricist

Other crew
Marie de Calan	....	production assistant
Géraldine Depardon	....	script supervisor
Laurence Granec	....	press attache
Karine Ménard	....	press attache
Édith Pavageau	....	production administrator

Production Companies

• Catherine Dussart Productions (CDP)
• Studio 37 (co-production)
• France 2 Cinéma (co-production)
• Scope Pictures (co-production)
• Canal+ (participation)
• CinéCinéma (participation)
• France 2 (FR2) (participation)
• Bophana Production (participation)
• Centre National de la Cinématographie (CNC) (participation)
• La Banque postale Image (in association with)
• Films Distribution (in association with)
• Sofica Soficinéma 4 (in association with)
• Le Tax Shelter du Gouvernement Fédéral de Belgique (support)
• Programme MEDIA de la Communauté Européenne (support)
• SCOPE Invest
• Scope Pictures

Distributors

• Diaphana Films (2008) (France) (theatrical)
• Atalanta Filmes (2008) (Portugal) (theatrical)
• Cinéart (2009) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• Cinéart (2009) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Films Distribution (2008) (worldwide) (theatrical)
• Kino Bez Granits (????) (Russia) (theatrical)
• Kino Bez Granits (????) (Ukraine) (theatrical)
• Maywin Media (????) (Russia) (theatrical)
• Maywin Media (????) (Ukraine) (theatrical)
• Métropole Films Distribution (2009) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Orlando Films (????) (Israel) (theatrical)
• Telekomunikacja Polska (????) (Poland) (theatrical)
• trigon-film (2008) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Axiom Films (2008) (UK) (all media)
• Diaphana Vidéo (2009) (France) (DVD)
• trigon-film (2009) (Switzerland) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Éditions de Minuit  book publisher

Also Known As:

"The Sea Wall" - International (English title)
"Ena fragma ston Eiriniko" - Greece (festival title)

Runtime:

Canada:115 min (Toronto International Film Festival)

Country:

France | Cambodia | Belgium

Language:

French

Color:

Color

Certification:

Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | Australia:M | UK:12A | France:U

Company:

Catherine Dussart Productions (CDP)

Trivia:

French visa # 119169 delivered on 24-11-2008.

Movie Connections:

Remake of This Angry Age (1958)

Routine Anti-Colonial Costume Drama

This is a costume drama of solid but very routine production values. The theme is anti-colonialism. The French colonial authorities are shown as corrupt and oppressive and the colonist family at the centre of the narrative is economically hopeless and morally degenerate. Isabelle Huppert is a slightly crazy and clueless head of a family whose only assets reside in the sexual allure of its teenage son and daughter. These assets are exploited in an attempt to save the family's fortunes. They are an unlikeable bunch although some nuance is generated by Huppert who injects a little humanity into her character. The film feels slow-paced and over long and do we really need another anti-colonial tract?