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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 World premiere

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 1943, the director has worked with some of France’s most renowned actors including Isabelle Adjani, Catherine Deneuve and Isabelle Huppert. His films address topics including life in the countryside, marginalised sexuality and the bonds of love and family. His work has already been invited to the Berlinale Competition a number of times, most recently in 2019 with L’adieu à la nuit.

Filmography (selection)

1969 Paulina s’en va (Paulina is Leaving) 1975 Souvenir d’en France (French Provincial) 1976 Barocco 1979 Les sœurs Brontë (Die Schwestern Brontë) 1981 Hôtel des Amériques (Begegnung in Biarritz) 1983 La matiouette 1985 Rendez-vous 1986 Le lieu du crime (Schauplatz des Verbrechens) 1987 Les innocents (Die Unschuldigen) 1991 J’embrasse pas (I Don’t Kiss) 1993 Ma saison préferée (Meine liebste Jahreszeit) · Tous les garçons et les filles de leur Âge: „Le Chêne et le Roseau“; series 1994 Les roseaux sauvages (The Wild Reeds) 1996 Les voleurs (Thieves) 1998 Alice et Martin (Alice and Martin) 2000 Loin (Far Away) 2002 Les égarés (Strayed) 2004 Les temps qui changent (Changing Times) 2006 Les témoins (The Witnesses) 2008 La fille du RER (The Girl on the Train) 2010 Impardonnables (Unforgivable) 2013 L’homme qu’on amait trop (In the Name of My Daughter) · Nous irons tous à Paimpol 2016 Quand on a 17 ans (Being 17) · Nos années folles (Golden Years) 2019 L’adieu à la nuit (Farewell to the Night) 2022 Les âmes sœurs (Soul Mates) 2024 Les gens d’à côté (My New Friends)

Bio- & filmography as of Berlinale 2024