Force majeure (1989)

Director:

Pierre Jolivet

Writers:

Pierre Jolivet (writer)
Olivier Schatzky (writer)

Release Date:

5 April 1989 (France)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Ils ont 5 jours pour devenir des heros.

Plot:

For whatever reason, Philippe (Patrick Bruel) and Daniel (Francois Cluzet) choose to vacation in Southeast Asia...

Plot Keywords:

Capital Punishment | Drugs | Friendship | Malaysia | Moral Dilemma

Awards:

3 nominations

Cast

Patrick Bruel	...	Philippe
François Cluzet	...	Daniel
Kristin Scott Thomas	...	Katia
Alan Bates	...	Malcolm Forrest
Sabine Haudepin	...	Jeanne
Thom Hoffman	...	Hans
Lucienne Hamon	...	Philippe's mother
Marc Jolivet	...	Le jouralliste, Le Guen
Hidde Maas	...	The lawyer
Betty Assenza	...	Gloria
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Tina van Baren	...	Maitre D'
François Basset	...	Student
Stéphane Bielikoff	...	Receptionnist
Sandra Grasset	...	Little girl
Thomas Hong-Maï	...	Bar owner
Pascal Leguennec	...	Bruno
Jean-Pierre Loustau	...	Pool player
Ham-Chau Luong	...	The old man
Wim Meuwissen	...	Hans' father (as Wim Meeuwisse)
Georges Pellegrin	...	Janitor
Jean-Philippe Reverdot	...	Photographer
Fabrice Roche	...	Dan's friend
Anouk Sluizer	...	Nurse (as Anouk Sluizer-Guizerix)
Ysé Tran	...	Waitress (as Marguerite Tran)

Directed by
Pierre Jolivet

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Pierre Jolivet		writer
Olivier Schatzky		writer

Produced by
Paul Claudon	....	producer
Michelle de Broca	....	producer

Original Music by
Serge Perathoner

Cinematography by
Bertrand Chatry

Film Editing by
Jean-François Naudon

Production Design by
Eric Simon

Costume Design by
Claire Fraisse

Makeup Department
Maud Baron	....	key makeup artist
Caroline Dumeze	....	key hair stylist

Production Management
Jean-Claude Cartier	....	unit manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
François Basset	....	second assistant director
Pablo Fréville	....	assistant director
Jean-Claude Marchant	....	assistant director
Anouk Sluizer	....	assistant director

Art Department
Fabrice Roche	....	property master

Sound Department
Francis Baldos	....	sound assistant
Jean-Pierre Lelong	....	foley artist
Nadine Muse	....	sound editor

Camera and Electrical Department
Paul-Claude Bessière	....	key grip
Cendrine Dedise	....	assistant camera
Marc Koninckx	....	steadicam operator
Jean-Marc Négroni	....	assistant camera
Jean-Claude Reux	....	electrician

Editorial Department
Martine Fleury	....	assistant editor
Anne Saint Macary	....	assistant editor

Other crew
Sylvie Koechlin	....	script supervisor

Production Companies

• C.A.P.A.C.
• Fildebroc

Distributors

• Acteurs Auteurs Associés (AAA) (1989) (France)

Also Known As:

Uncontrollable Circumstances

Runtime:

86 min

Country:

France

Language:

French

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:L

Company:

C.A.P.A.C.

Movie Connections:

References Apocalypse Now (1979)

Thrilling and thought-provoking

This is what it takes to spend the night with a rodent devouring your ugly, dirty occidental conscience. Would you leave family, study, anything to save a friend's life in a faraway land? A strong look at youth, at the clash between the wish of experiencing everything and that of avoiding any responsibility. The film is great in depicting the inner struggle of both the boys involved, never giving the audience any assurance about who's going to leave and save a life and who's going to give up. Thrilling and thought-provoking.