CRITICS/QUOTES
Director’s quote:
“The child is at the heart of the question: what is this disintegrating society of which we see a few fragments and put them back together? And how does he come through this experience; what mark will it leave on him? The child embodies the future: what kind of society will we build for him?”
Press reviews:
El Magazine: “Depardieu’s penultimate performance is pitch perfect, capturing a sensitive, rebellious and troubled man coming to terms with responsibility.”
Première : « A film about social collapse, rebirth, solidarity, kinship, Versailles, rebellion, which aims to move and improve a society consumed by individualism. »
Elle : “The actors, incandescent, give the film its full force.”
Journal du dimanche : “In spite of its context of social exclusion, Schoeller’s film is remarkable ode to life.”
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BIO/FILMOGRAPHY
Pierre Schoeller's Biography
Having penned the screenplays for Erick Zonca’s The Dreamlife of Angels, Jean-Pierre Limosin’s Carmen, Brice Cauvin’s Hotel Harabati, Alain Gomis’ L’Afrance and Eric Guirado’s Quand tu descendras du ciel, and after directing the TV drama Zéro Défaut in 2002, Versailles is Pierre Schoeller’s directorial feature debut.
Guillaume Depardieu's Biography
Born in Paris on April 7 th 1971 and the son of perhaps the most famous French actor in the world, Guillaume Depardieu seemed inevitably destined for an illustrious acting career. His ascension however, eclipsed by the gargantuan shadow of his already legendary father, was tumultuous and tragically short-lived, flirting repeatedly with substance abuse and criminal rebelliousness and serving several prison sentences for theft and drug dealings. He was amputated in 2003 after a series of unsuccessful operations on a knee injury, the result of a motorcycle accident in 1995. A true “enfant terrible”, Guillaume’s instinctive and disarming qualities transpired intensely on screen. In 1996, he was awarded the Most Promising Actor César for his role in Pierre Salvadori’s Les Apprentis (1995) and throughout his brief career he worked with some of the most notable filmmakers: Jean-Pierre Mocky in Alliance cherche doigt (1997), Leos Carax in Pola X (1999), Jacques Rivette in Ne touchez pas la hache (2007) and Bertrand Bonello in De la guerre (2008) and today is unanimously considered to have been one of the most gifted actors of his generation. While on location in Romania filming what would become his last film L’Enfance d’Icare, he contracted severe pneumonia. He died on October 13 th, 2008 at the age of 37, after having reconciled with his father with whom he’d had a problematic relationship throughout his life.
Guillaume Depardieu's Selective Filmography
1992 Tous les matins du monde
1993 Cible émouvante
1995 Les apprentis
1997 Marthe
1997 Alliance cherche doigt
1998 Comme elle respire
1999 POLA X
2000 Elle et lui au 14e étage
2000 Les marchands de sable
2001 Amour, prozac et autres curiosités
2002 Peau d'ange
2002 A Loving Father
2002 Le pharmacien de garde
2004 Process
2006 Celibataires
2007 The Duchess of Langeais
2008 De la guerre
2008 Versailles
2008 Stella
2008 Les inséparables
2009 A Real Life
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