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L’adieu à la nuit

Farewell to the Night
Competition (out of competition) 2019
© Curiosa, Adieu à la nuit 2019
Muriel breeds horses in France and runs an almond plantation with her business partner from the Maghreb. A confident woman who spent her childhood and youth in Algeria, Muriel seems to enjoy a life that is both harmonious and fulfilled. She receives a visit from her beloved grandson Alex, whom she raised after his mother died in an accident. He is on his way to Canada, where he allegedly has a job. However, Muriel discovers that Alex has other plans – and a much more dangerous destination. Moreover, his childhood sweetheart Lila also seems to be more deeply involved than Muriel initially suspects. The young man becomes more and more of a stranger to her; the complete change that has come over him is incomprehensible to his grandmother. She senses that her words and any amount of discussion will not help. Finding herself caught in a dilemma between her love for her grandson and her deep concern, she decides to take a drastic step. What begins as a personal story about a family takes on surprisingly political dimensions and currency. This in turn raises questions to which there are no simple or universal answers. But these are questions that nonetheless need to be asked.
by André Téchiné
with Catherine Deneuve, Kacey Mottet Klein, Oulaya Amamra, Stéphane Bak, Mohamed Djouhri France / Germany 2019 French 104’ Colour

With

  • Catherine Deneuve (Muriel)
  • Kacey Mottet Klein (Alex)
  • Oulaya Amamra (Lila)
  • Stéphane Bak (Bilal)
  • Mohamed Djouhri (Youssef)

Crew

Director André Téchiné
Screenplay André Téchiné, Léa Mysius based on an original idea by André T´échiné and Amer Alwan
Cinematography Julien Hirsch
Editing Albertine Lastera
Music Alexis Rault
Sound Vincent Goujon
Production Design Carlos Conti
Costumes Jürgen Doering
Make-Up Cédric Gérard
Assistant Director Michel Nasri
Casting Michel Nasri
Production Manager Bruno Bernard
Producer Olivier Delbosc
Executive Producer Christine De Jekel
Co-Producers Niels Court-Payen, Caroline Dhainaut-Nollet, Olivier Père, Rémi Burah, Meinolf Zurhorst, Anne Derré, Jean-Christophe Simon, Gabor Greiner
Co-Production Bellini Films Paris
Arte France Cinéma Paris
ZDF/Arte Germany Baden-Baden
Legato Films Paris
Films Boutique Berlin

World sales

France tv distribution

Produced by

Curiosa Films

Photos

Press Conference

Red Carpet

André Téchiné

© Photo DDM, archives

Born in Valence d’Agen, France in 1943. He wrote for the ‘Cahiers du Cinéma’ film magazine in Paris between 1964 and 1967 and then became assistant director to Jacques Rivette. He first began working as a stage director in Paris before turning to screenwriting and film directing in the early 1970s. His greatest successes include Ma Saison Préferée (My Favourite Season) and the multi-award-winning drama Les roseaux sauvages (Wild Reeds). His work most recently featured in the Berlinale Competition in 2016 with Quand on a 17 ans (Being 17).

Filmography

1969 Paulina s'en va (Paulina is Leaving) 1976 Barocco 1979 Les sœurs Brontë (Die Schwestern Brontë) 1981 Hôtel des Amériques (Begegnung in Biarritz) 1983 La matiouette 1985 Rendez-vous 1987 Les innocents (Die Unschuldigen) 1991 J'embrasse pas (I don't kiss) 1993 Ma saison préferée (Meine liebste Jahreszeit) 1994 Les roseaux sauvages (Wilde Herzen) · Les Voleurs (Thieves) 1998 Alice et Martin (Alice and Martin) 2001 Loin (Weit weg - Loin) 2003 Les égarés (Strayed) 2004 Les temps qui changent (Changing Times) 2007 Les Témoins (Die Zeugen) 2009 La fille du RER (The Girl on the Train) 2011 Impardonnables (Unforgivable) 2012 L'homme qu'on amait trop (In the Name of my Daughter) 2016 Quand on a 17 ans · Nos années folles 2019 L'adieu à la nuit (Farewell to the Night)

Bio- & filmography as of Berlinale 2019