A French woman returns to her childhood home in Cameroon - formerly a colonial outpost - where she's flooded by memories, particularly of Protée, her servant.
Director:
Writers:
Awards:
- 1 win & 3 nominations.
- See more »
Photos and Videos
Cast
| Isaach De Bankolé | ... |
Protée
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| Giulia Boschi | ... |
Aimée Dalens
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| François Cluzet | ... |
Marc Dalens
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| Jean-Claude Adelin | ... |
Luc
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Laurent Arnal | ... |
Machinard
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Jean Bediebe | ... |
Prosper
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Jean-Quentin Châtelain | ... |
Courbassol
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Emmanuelle Chaulet | ... |
Mireille Machinard
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| Kenneth Cranham | ... |
Boothby
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Jacques Denis | ... |
Joseph Delpich
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Cécile Ducasse | ... |
France enfant / France, as a girl
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Clementine Essono | ... |
Marie-Jeanne
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| Didier Flamand | ... |
Capt. Védrine
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Essindi Mindja | ... |
Blaise
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Donatus Ngala |
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Edwige Nto Ngon a Zock |
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Philemon Blake Ondoua |
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| Mireille Perrier | ... |
France Dalens
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Emmet Judson Williamson | ... |
Mungo Park
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Hervé Abah |
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Saïdou Abatcha |
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Alain Artur |
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Jean-Marc Bamdiran |
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Tadfor Kamajou |
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Saidou Karim |
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Agnes Ndoumbe |
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Ian Stapel |
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Hélène Vauquois |
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Directed by
| Claire Denis | ||
Written by
| Claire Denis | ... | (written by) & |
| Jean-Pol Fargeau | ... | (written by) |
Produced by
| Alain Belmondo | ... | producer |
| Jean-Paul Belmondo | ... | producer |
| Gérard Crosnier | ... | producer |
| Marin Karmitz | ... | co-producer |
| Wim Wenders | ... | co-producer |
Music by
| Abdullah Ibrahim | ||
Cinematography by
| Robert Alazraki | ||
Editing by
| Monica Coleman | ||
| Claudine Merlin | ||
| Sylvie Quester | ||
Editorial Department
| Olivier Fontenay | ... | color timer |
Production Design by
| Thierry Flamand | ||
Costume Design by
| Christian Gasc | ||
Makeup Department
| Jean-Pierre Eychenne | ... | makeup artist |
Production Management
| Victorien Alenga | ... | unit manager |
| Denys Fleutot | ... | unit manager |
| Bruno Vignier | ... | unit manager |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
| Bassek Ba Kobhio | ... | assistant director |
| Marie-Claude Beauchaud | ... | assistant director |
| Luc Goldenberg | ... | assistant director |
| Vincent Ndoumbe | ... | assistant director |
Art Department
| Christian Delhôme | ... | assistant decorator |
| Scott Kirby | ... | property master |
| Franck Proix | ... | assistant decorator |
Sound Department
| Daniel Couteau | ... | foley artist |
| Dominique Hennequin | ... | sound |
| André Hervée | ... | foley artist |
| Gérard Manneveau | ... | foley artist |
| Fred Mays | ... | post-synchronization |
| Brigitte Taillandier | ... | sound |
| Jean-Louis Ughetto | ... | sound |
| Jean-Christophe Winding | ... | sound editor |
Camera and Electrical Department
| Benoit Akpatsi | ... | grip |
| Jean-Claude Basselet | ... | electrician |
| Paul Edimo Dikobo | ... | electrician (as Paul Edimo) |
| Muriel Edelstein | ... | assistant camera |
| Jules Foumou | ... | electrician |
| Agnès Godard | ... | camera operator |
| Yvon Sausseau | ... | grip |
| Bouba Wamvou | ... | grip |
Costume and Wardrobe Department
| Marthe Ndome | ... | costumer |
Location Management
| Alain Artur | ... | location manager |
Script and Continuity Department
| Emilienne Nke | ... | script supervisor |
| Zoé Zurstrassen | ... | script supervisor |
Additional Crew
| Serge Croisy | ... | groupman |
| Jeanne-Marie Liron | ... | production assistant |
| Eva Simonet | ... | press attache |
Production Companies
- Cinémanuel (co-production)
- MK2 Productions (co-production)
- Cerito Films (co-production)
- Wim Wenders Productions (co-production)
- La Sept Cinéma (co-production)
- Caroline Productions (co-production)
- Le F.O.D.I.C. Cameroun (co-production)
- TF1 Films Production (co-production)
- Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée (CNC) (participation)
- Sofima (participation)
Distributors
- MK2 (1988) (France) (theatrical)
- Academy Pictures (1988) (Italy) (theatrical)
- Sadfi Films (1988) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
- MK2 Films (1988) (World-wide)
- Alliance Films (1989) (United Kingdom) (theatrical) (subtitled)
- Cine Saison (1989) (Japan) (theatrical)
- Impuls-Film Hans-Joachim Flebbe Co. (1989) (West Germany) (theatrical)
- Orion Classics (1989) (United States) (theatrical) (subtitled)
- Rank Film Distributors (1989) (United Kingdom) (theatrical) (subbed)
- Svenska Filminstitutet (SFI) (1989) (Sweden) (theatrical)
- Dendy Films (1990) (Australia) (theatrical) (subtitled)
- J.L. Bowerbank & Associates Inc. (1990) (Canada) (VHS)
- RCA/Columbia-Hoyts Home Video (1992) (Australia) (video) (subtitled)
- MGM Home Entertainment (2001) (United States) (DVD) (subtitled)
- Artificial Eye (2009) (United Kingdom) (DVD)
- The Criterion Channel (2020) (United States) (tv) (digital) (subtitled)
- Janus Films (2023) (United States) (theatrical) (subtitled)
- ARD Mediathek (2023) (Germany) (video) (VoD)
- ARTE Mediathek (2023) (Germany) (video) (VoD)
- ARTE Mediathek (2023) (France) (video) (VoD)
- ARTE (2023) (Germany) (tv)
- ARTE (2023) (France) (tv)
- ZDF Mediathek (2023) (Germany) (video) (VoD)
- Eye Film Instituut (2024) (Netherlands) (theatrical) (re-release) (4K restoration)
Special Effects
Other Companies
- D.C. Audiovisuel (sound re-recording)
- Euro-Titres (titles)
- Studio Philippe Sarde (sound mixing)
- Transpalux (electrical equipment)
Storyline
| Plot Summary |
A young French woman returns to the vast silence of West Africa to contemplate her childhood days in a colonial outpost in Cameroon. Her strongest memories are of the family's houseboy, Protee - a man of great nobility, intelligence and beauty - and the intricate nature of relationships in a racist society. Written by Dawn M. Barclift |
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| Parents Guide | View content advisory » |
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Additional Details
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Box Office
| Budget | FRF1,300,000 (estimated) |
Did You Know?
| Trivia | In a 1989 interview with Judy Stone, Claire Denis explained that the title, comes from the 1950s slang meaning "to be had, to be cheated", and thus refers to the status in French Cameroon of being black and being cheated; it is also an allusion to Protée's dark-brown skin and the racial fetishism of Africans by Europeans. See more » |
| Movie Connections | Featured in Jacknife/The Adventures of Baron Munchausen/Skin Deep/Chocolat (1989). See more » |
| Quotes |
Marc Dalens:
When you look at the hills, beyond the houses and beyond the trees, where the earth touches the sky, that's the horizon. Tomorrow, in the daytime, I'll show you something. The closer you get to that line, the farther it moves. If you walk towards it, it moves away. It flees from you. I must also explain this to you. You see the line. You see it, but it doesn't exist. See more » |