La guerre est déclarée (2011)

Director:

Valérie Donzelli

Writers:

Jérémie Elkaïm
Valérie Donzelli

Release Date:

31 August 2011 (Belgium)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

When their young son is diagnosed with a brain tumor, young parents Roméo and Juliette unite in the fight for his survival.

Plot Keywords:

Love | Little Boy | Love At First Sight | Baby | Brain Tumor

Awards:

4 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Valérie Donzelli	...	Juliette
Jérémie Elkaïm	...	Roméo Benaïm
César Desseix	...	Adam Benaïm à 18 mois
Gabriel Elkaïm	...	Adam Benaïm à 8 ans
Brigitte Sy	...	Claudia Benaïm - la mère de Roméo
Elina Löwensohn	...	Alex - la compagne de Claudia
Michèle Moretti	...	Geneviève - la mère de Juliette
Philippe Laudenbach	...	Philippe - le père de Juliette
Bastien Bouillon	...	Nikos
Béatrice De Staël	...	Le docteur Ghislaine Prat - la pédiatre
Anne Le Ny	...	Le docteur Fitoussi - la neuropédiatre
Frédéric Pierrot	...	Le professeur Sainte-Rose
Elisabeth Dion	...	Le docteur Kalifa - de l'IGR
Pauline Gaillard	...	Un narrateur (voice)
Philippe Barassat	...	Un narrateur (voice)
Valentine Catzéflis	...	Une narratrice (voice)
Julie Peugeot	...	La première nfirmière
Serge Bozon	...	Le gifleur à la fête
Henri Hooreman	...	Adam Benaïm à 6 mois
Marie Donzelli	...	Marine - une assistante sociale
Claire Serieys	...	Clarisse
Riad Sattouf	...	Le cuistot
Marie-Sohna Conde	...	La copine de Juliette (as Marie-Sonha Conde)
Laure Marsac	...	L'auxiliaire puéricultrice
Lucia Sanchez	...	La directrice de la crèche
Marion Lecrivain	...	Marion - la baby-sitter
Mademoiselle Mori	...	L'hôtesse d'accueil de l'hôpital de La Timone
Sophie Kichine	...	Infirimière La Timone
Dorothée Sebbagh	...	Une interne de la Timone
Ahmed Zaoui	...	Le b rancadrier de la Timone
Diego Urgoiti	...	L'anésthésiste de la Timone (as Diego Urgoiti-Moinot)
Bey Salah	...	Le porteur dans le couloir de la Timone
Emmanuel Salinger	...	Le radiologue
Irène Estevens	...	Une infirmière à Necker
Nozha Khouadra	...	L'interne de Necker
Blanche Gardin	...	Hôtesse accueil Necker
Anne Berest	...	Sophie - une interne de l'hôpital Necker Necker
Alain Kruger	...	Le docteur Harry - l'anésthésiste de Necker
Christelle Huot-Marchand	...	La première infirmière du bain d'Adam
Frédérique Dorat	...	La seconde infirmière du bain d'Adam
Laurent Lacotte	...	Un brancardier à l'hôpital Necker (as Laurent Lacote)
Aude Lemercier	...	La copine d'avant
Benoît Barré	...	Un infirmier du bain d'Adam
Katia Lewkowicz	...	Jeanne
Lucien Pages	...	Pascal
Jennifer Decker	...	Un jeune fille à la fête de Jeanne
Esteban Carvajal-Alegria	...	Le garçon de l' 'Open kiss'
Clémence Cabanes	...	La fille de l' 'Open kiss'
Anne Gastaut	...	La chanteuse
Adrien Antoine	...	Le guitariste
France Lesbros	...	L'infirmière de l' IGR
Laëtitia Trapet	...	Mlle Weiss - une infirmière
Marie Weinberger	...	Martine - une assistante sociale

Directed by
Valérie Donzelli

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Valérie Donzelli
Jérémie Elkaïm

Produced by
Serge Catoire	....	executive producer
Xavier Giannoli	....	associate producer
Edouard Weil	....	producer

Cinematography by
Sébastien Buchmann		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Pauline Gaillard

Casting by
Karen Hottois

Production Design by
Gaëlle Usandivaras

Costume Design by
Elisabeth Mehu

Makeup Department
Valérie Donzelli	....	hair stylist
Valérie Donzelli	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Eugénie Deplus	....	post-production supervisor
Diego Urgoity-Moinot	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Marie Weinberger	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Thierry Pitel	....	property master

Sound Department
Benjamin Bober	....	boom operator
Ludovic Escallier	....	sound editor
Nicolas Fioraso	....	foley artist
Laurent Gabiot	....	sound re-recording mixer
Olivier Guillaume	....	sound assistant: auditorium
André Rigaut	....	sound recordist
Sébastien Savine	....	sound editor

Visual Effects by
Michel Reynaert	....	visual effects (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Lazare Pedron	....	first assistant camera
Aurélien Py	....	additional first camera assistant

Editorial Department
Mona-Lise Lanfant	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Pascal Mayer	....	music supervisor

Other crew
Tony Arnoux	....	press attache
Véronique Hallot	....	production administrator
Karen Hottois	....	acting coach: children
Magalie Montet	....	press attache
Virginie Prin	....	script supervisor
André-Paul Ricci	....	press attache

Thanks
Agathe Hassenforder	....	thanks
Christian Sainte-Rose	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Rectangle Productions
• Wild Bunch (in association with)
• Canal+ (with the participation of)
• Ciné+ (with the participation of)
• Cofinova 7 (in association with)
• Uni Étoile 8 (in association with)
• Arte / Cofinova 6 (in association with)
• Région Ile-de-France (with the support of)

Distributors

• Wild Bunch Distribution (2011) (France) (theatrical)
• Cinéart (2011) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• Carmen Film Company (201?) (Estonia) (theatrical)
• Carmen Film Company (201?) (Ukraine) (theatrical)
• Cinéart (2011) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Golem Distribución (2011) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Les Films Séville (2011) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Prokino Filmverleih (2012) (Germany) (theatrical)
• StraDa Films (2011) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Sundance Selects (2012) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Atalanta Filmes (2012) (Portugal) (all media)
• Teleview International (2011) (Lebanon) (all media) (Middle East)
• Twin Pics (2012) (Netherlands) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Christian Dior  thanks

Also Known As:

"Declaration of War" - International (English title) (imdb display title)
"A Guerra Está Declarada" - Brazil (imdb display title)
"Das Leben gehört uns" - Germany (imdb display title)
"Declaração de Guerra" - Portugal (imdb display title)
"Declaración de guerra" - Spain (imdb display title)
"Polemontas gia ti niki" - Greece (imdb display title)
"Slåss för livet" - Sweden (imdb display title)
"Szemünk fénye" - Hungary
"Wypowiedzenie wojny" - Poland (imdb display title)

Runtime:

France:100 min

Country:

France

Language:

French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Netherlands:12 | Portugal:M/12 (Qualidade)

Filming Locations:

Corniche, Marseille, Bouches-du-Rhône, France

Company:

Rectangle Productions

Trivia:

The hospital scenes are played both by professional players and real-life hospital staff.

Movie Connections:

Features Cristaux liquides (1978)

Soundtrack:

Une vie de papa

HK Neo Reviews: [36HKIFF] Declaration of War / La guerre est déclaré (2011) – France

@ 36th Hong Kong International Film Festival

By being the opening film of the 36th Hong Kong International Film Festival, Declaration of War is a film that touches the audience hearts, but more importantly it talks about real humans, real events, real emotions and real surroundings. For that alone director and main actress deserves a simple round of applause. It is not easy to go through a traumatic experience and come out strongly by telling her life story through films. This film works because the director never stray away from its core issue of a couple dealing with their child having a brain trauma and all the other issues that goes along with it – losing money, jobs, lifestyle, relationships and ultimately themselves. It should be complimented that the film yet is about to play with a sense of humor along the way.

Valerie Donzelli not only carries the film as the mother and wife, but directs a film that is so personal to her. It was my honour to meet such a strong lady at the festival. In the scene where she ran and ran in the hospital corridors until she collapses is a perfect example of originality in her camera work and her ability to depicts and communicate a difficult moment. Likewise her former partner Jeremie Elkaim excels in a role that compliments Valerie and two display amazing chemistry that cannot just be manufactured.

All in all, Declaration of War is very much a personal film, about how a child's illness can affect almost everything in his parents life. Dealing with difficult times like these is never easy and often the wear and tear will stop any couple from living their lives. Points should be given to Valerie for being able to so convincing portray these emotions. Although the film seems raw at times, War is very much a perfect example of how an extremely personal film can still affect the audience. While the film may never be a masterpiece, Valerie have certainly created and shared something special…

Neo rates 8.5/10

- www.thehkneo.com