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Les invasions barbares
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Les invasions barbares (2003) More at IMDbPro »

Photos (see all 29 | slideshow) Videos (see all 6)
Les invasions barbares (2003) -- During his final days, a dying man is reunited with old friends, former lovers, his ex-wife, and his estranged son.
Les invasions barbares (2003) -- Open-ended Trailer from Miramax
Les invasions barbares (2003) -- During his final days, a dying man is reunited with old friends, former lovers, his ex-wife, and his estranged son.
Les invasions barbares (2003) -- Sinematurk - Trailer (Flash)

Overview

User Rating:
7.8/10   13,288 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 4% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writer:
Denys Arcand (writer)
Contact:
View company contact information for The Barbarian Invasions on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
24 September 2003 (France) more
Tagline:
A provocative new comedy about sex, friendship, and all other things that invade our lives.
Plot:
During his final days, a dying man is reunited with old friends, former lovers, his ex-wife, and his estranged son. full summary | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
Awards:
Won Oscar. Another 37 wins & 19 nominations more
User Reviews:
Politics Aside more (152 total)

Cast

  (in credits order)

Rémy Girard ... Rémy
Stéphane Rousseau ... Sébastien
Marie-Josée Croze ... Nathalie
Marina Hands ... Gaëlle
Dorothée Berryman ... Louise
Johanne-Marie Tremblay ... Sister Constance Lazure (as Johanne Marie Tremblay)
Pierre Curzi ... Pierre Citrouillard

Yves Jacques ... Claude
Louise Portal ... Diane Leonard
Dominique Michel ... Dominique St. Arnaud
Isabelle Blais ... Sylvaine
Toni Cecchinato ... Alessandro
Sophie Lorain ... First Lover
Mitsou ... Ghislaine (as Mitsou Gélinas)
Markita Boies ... Nurse Suzanne
Micheline Lanctôt ... Nurse Carole
Denis Bouchard ... Duhamel
Sylvie Drapeau ... Second Lover
Jean-Marc Parent ... Ronald the Syndicalist
Dominic Darceuil ... Maxime
Yves Desgagnés ... Olivier
Gilles Pelletier ... Priest Raymond Leclerc
Jean-René Ouellet ... Dr. Dubé
Lise Roy ... Mme. Joncas-Pelletier
Macha Grenon ... Arielle
Gaston Lepage ... Security Guard
Daniel Brière ... Alain Lussier
Sébastien Huberdeau ... Vincent
Rose-Maïté Erkoreka ... Student
Roy Dupuis ... Gilles Levac
David Gow
Sébastien Ricard ... Jérôme
Janique Kearns
Sean Lu ... Pharmacist
Eric Paulhus ... Réparateur télé
Sofia de Medeiros

Bonnie Mak ... Nurse
Alain Bruno

Anna-Marie Sutherland ... Bulgarian Nurse
Jean Antoine Charest
Dawn Lambing
Karen Hader ... American Nurse
Valérie Jeanneret
Kenneth Fernandez
Julie Tu ... Chinese Fantasy Woman
Jacques Caron
Shawn McPherson
Nhu Tram Nguyen
Daisy Bhui-Khac
Frédéric Gilles ... Cowboy
Valérie Wiseman
Stéphane Touzin
Hélène-Manon Poudrette
Yvette Thuot
François Domerc
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Julie Beauchemin
Inés Orsini ... Lúcia (also archive footage)
Denys Arcand ... Unionist (uncredited)
Chris Evert ... Herself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Françoise Hardy ... Herself (archive footage) (uncredited)
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Directed by
Denys Arcand 
 
Writing credits
(in alphabetical order)
Denys Arcand  writer

Produced by
Daniel Louis .... producer
Denise Robert .... producer
Fabienne Vonier .... co-producer
 
Original Music by
Pierre Aviat 
 
Cinematography by
Guy Dufaux 
 
Film Editing by
Isabelle Dedieu 
 
Casting by
Lucie Robitaille 
 
Production Design by
François Séguin 
 
Art Direction by
Caroline Alder 
Normand Sarazin 
 
Set Decoration by
Patrice Bengle 
Annika Krausz 
 
Costume Design by
Denis Sperdouklis 
 
Makeup Department
Betty Belmore .... makeup artist
Evelyne Byot .... key makeup artist
Ginette Lajeunesse .... key hair stylist
Martin Lapointe .... hair stylist: extras
Christel Piazzolla .... assistant hair stylist
Diane Simard .... key makeup artist
 
Production Management
Hélène Grimard .... production manager
Stéphane Jacques .... assistant unit manager
George Jardon .... post-production supervisor (as Georges Jardon)
Jaime Tobon .... unit manager
Fabienne Vonier .... production manager: France
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jacques W. Benoit .... first assistant director (as Jacques Wilbrod Benoit)
Pierre Bouchard .... second assistant director
Yanick DiVito .... additional third assistant director
Simon Dugas .... third assistant director
 
Art Department
Alexandre Beauregard .... carpenter
Félix Bélanger .... carpenter
Pascal Bélanger .... carpenter
Renée Belley .... painter
Jacques Bertrand .... painter
Daniel Blais .... painter
François Bouchard .... scenic technician
Anthony Bourgouin .... scenic technician (as Anthony Bourgoin)
Michel Bousquet .... carpenter
Jocelyn Charbonneau .... scenic technician
Jean-Pierre David .... scenic technician
Jean Fiset .... carpenter
François Gagnon .... carpenter
François Gascon .... assistant props
Odette Gauvreau .... painter
France Goulet .... carpenter
Eric Guindon .... carpenter
Daniel Huysmans .... set props
Helene Lamarre .... art coordinator
Helene Lamarre .... coordinator (as Hélène Lamarre)
Jacynthe Leclair .... painter
Olivia Levêque .... assistant set dresser
Steve Louis .... graphic designer
Daniel Morin .... carpenter
Priscilla Morneau .... prop buyer
Serge Nadon .... scenic technician
Fabienne Perry .... carpenter
Luc Potvin .... carpenter
Gabriel Siry .... carpenter
Pascal Tremblay .... scenic technician
 
Sound Department
Diane Boucher .... post-synchronization supervisor
Jocelyn Caron .... adr foley recordist
Jérôme Décarie .... foley artist
Michel Descombes .... sound re-recording mixer
François Domerc .... boom operator
Alexis Duceppe .... sound trainee
Gavin Fernandes .... sound re-recording mixer
Marie-Claude Gagné .... sound designer
Marie-Claude Gagné .... sound editor
Nicolas Gagnon .... assistant foley artist
Shaun-Nicholas Gallagher .... foley recordist (as Shaun Gallagher)
Réjean Juteau .... sound mixer
Thomas Kodros .... stereo sound consultant: Dolby
Yves Laferrière .... additional sound designer
Pierre Laroche .... assistant sound re-recording mixer
Mireille Morin .... adr editor
Claire Pochon .... sound editor
Patrick Rousseau .... sound
Bruno Ruffolo .... adr recordist
Jean Philippe Savard .... sound editor
 
Special Effects by
Guillaume Murray .... special effects supervisor
 
Visual Effects by
Jean-François Bachand .... digital supervisor
Benoit Brière .... visual effects supervisor
Sophie Chometton .... compositor
Sophie Chometton .... digital compositor
Stéphane Paradis .... compositor
Josh Pines .... technical director
Mario Rachiele .... visual effects producer
Jennifer Lee .... digital intermediate editor (uncredited)
 
Stunts
Stéphane Lefebvre .... stunt driver
 
Camera and Electrical Department
Christopher Ball .... director of photography: additional photography
André Bélaieff .... generator operator
Diane Boisvert .... third assistant camera
Michael Boulonne .... best boy
Ian Brabant .... grip
Mario Brabant .... grip
Julien Brisbois .... electrician
André Caron .... electrician
François Daignault .... Steadicam operator
François Daignault .... camera operator
Jean-Maurice de Ernsted .... key grip
Attila Dory .... still photographer
Amelie Duceppe .... second assistant camera: second unit
Claude Fortier .... gaffer
Vytaitas Gudlevicius .... key grip
Martine Guillard .... electrician
Alain Jolicoeur .... generator operator
Martin Lebel .... first assistant camera: second unit
Isabelle Lecompte .... second assistant camera
Marion Mailhot .... best boy
Denis Martel .... electrician
Nathalie Moliavko-Visotzky .... director of photography: additional photography
Dany Racine .... first assistant camera: "a" camera
 
Casting Department
Mike Migliara .... extras casting
Nicolas Ronchi .... casting: France
Bruno Rosato .... extras casting
 
Costume and Wardrobe Department
Hélène Bélanger .... costumer
Louise Dube .... costumer (as Louise Dubé)
Diane Groulx .... costume coordinator
Nicole Langlois .... seamstress
Richard Lanthier .... dresser
Michel L'Heureux .... costumer
Francine Richard .... key costumer
André Valade .... costumer
 
Editorial Department
Genevieve Clermont .... assistant editor (as Geneviève Clermont)
Pascale Dubé .... post-production assistant
Marie-Neige Forget .... assistant editor
Francine Gauthier .... color timer
Melanie Gauthier .... post-production assistant
Trent Johnson .... colorist
Elizabeth Ostermann .... post-production coordinator
Louis-Martin Paradis .... assistant editor
Marie-Eve Talbot .... assistant editor
 
Transportation Department
Mark Barsalou .... transportation coordinator (as Marco Barsalou)
Pierre Chalifoux .... driver
Mélanie Dubois .... driver
Réal Hamel .... picture car coordinator
Martin Lebrun .... driver
Cédric Lévesque .... production driver
Christian Ménard .... driver
 
Other crew
Véronique Arcouette .... production assistant
Doriane Benzakein .... subtitler
André Boivin .... production assistant
Claude Brinet .... legal consultant
Philippe Cadieux .... production assistant
Brigitte Chabot .... publicist
Gabbie Corrente .... publicist
André Côté .... caterer
Martine Curly Salvas .... courier
Alana Cymerman .... location manager
Julie Cyrenne .... assistant accountant
Manon Delorme .... consultant
Mélanie Dubois .... production assistant
Danielle Duperreault .... assistant location manager
Christian Fluet .... production administrator
Bettina Forget .... credits
Anik Fortin .... assistant caterer
Patrick Galipeau .... production assistant
Robert Gray .... subtitler
Robert Jacques .... production assistant
Eric Lagesse .... world sales executive
Marie La Haye .... script supervisor
Suzanne Laverdière .... radio canada executive
Jean-Claude Lemire .... consultant
Marie-France Long .... production coordinator
Zénaïde Lussier .... legal consultant
François Macerola .... legal consultant
Tara Markus .... assistant location manager
Guillaume Murray .... mechanical effects technician
Eric Nobileau .... consultant
Minou Petrowski .... publicist
Denis Proulx .... medic
David Quinton .... production assistant
Barbara Rivard .... consultant
Geneviève Rousseau .... production secretary
Sally Steele .... publicist
Marie-Pierre Tétreault .... 24 frame video coordinator
 
Thanks
Viviane Adam .... thanks
Jean-Marc Bakouch .... thanks
Pierre Beaudoin .... thanks
Nadia Belali .... thanks
Marc Béland .... thanks
Geneviève Benoît .... thanks
Jacques Bensimon .... special thanks
Dominique Besnehard .... thanks
Anne-Marie Caron .... thanks: Bombardier Aérospace
Kevin Caron .... thanks: aéroports de Montréal
Pierre Chagnon .... thanks
Laurent Champoussin .... thanks
Martin Desroches .... thanks
Nathalie Desrosiers .... thanks
Geneviève Dessureault .... thanks
François Dompierre .... thanks
Dominique Dupuis .... thanks
Chris Evert .... thanks
Valérie Farthouat .... thanks
Brigitte Faure .... thanks
Denise Filiatrault .... thanks
Jean-Louis Fontaine .... thanks
Roger Frappier .... thanks
Guy Gagnon .... thanks
Françoise Hardy .... thanks
Pascale Hébert .... thanks
Karen Kain .... thanks
Michel Lemay .... thanks: CLSC du Vieux La Chine
Suzanne Lévesque .... thanks
Bénédicte Linard .... thanks
René Malo .... thanks
André Parisé .... thanks: CLSC du Vieux La Chine
Nicolas Ronchi .... thanks
Patrick Roy .... thanks
Robert Roy .... thanks
Michel Trudel .... thanks
Réjean Villeneuve .... thanks
 

Production CompaniesDistributorsSpecial EffectsOther Companies
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Additional Details

Also Known As:
The Barbarian Invasions (International: English title) (UK) (USA)
Invasion of the Barbarians (International: English title)
more
MPAA:
Rated R for language, sexual dialogue and drug content.
Runtime:
99 min | Canada:112 min (DVD version)
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more
Filming Locations:

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
It is the first sequel ever to win the Best Foreign Language Film award at the Oscars. more
Goofs:
Crew or equipment visible: After Rémy and everyone else watch the final video message of Sylvaine on Sébastien's laptop, a man's left hand removes the laptop plug on the viewer's left side as Sébastien takes the laptop away. All the characters present at the chalet, at the time, are accounted for in the shot; save Nathalie who is inside preparing the heroin. more
Quotes:
Hospital Patient Assistant: Good morning, guys. Welcome to America.
Rémy: Praise the Lord.
Sébastien: Hallelujah.
more
Movie Connections:
Featured in The 61st Annual Golden Globe Awards (2004) (TV) more
Soundtrack:
Concerto Op. 6 No. 5 in D major more

FAQ

Why does Rémy say that he would have "written" the periodic table?
more
91 out of 112 people found the following review useful.
Politics Aside, 16 July 2004
10/10
Author: canadude

I have never been a fan of Canadian cinema because it was generally soaked with the sort of contrived politically correct sexual and social attitudes of which the conformist majority was already a proponent. Thus, Canadian films tended to be "pop-Canadian-culture" films about political correctness.

Of course there were exceptions: Atom Egoyan's "Exotica" or "The Sweet Hereafter," or some of Cronenberg's more experimental films like "Naked Lunch" possessed some of that existential starkness that attracted me to those films. Nonetheless my expectations generally remained low, which is why Denys Arcand's great "Barbarian Invasions" was such a pleasant surprise.

The film is about three things: the disillusionment with socialism, the growing disillusionment with capitalism, and the death of a man who happened to have been a socialist professor in Montreal, while his son a millionaire.

Remy is dying of cancer. He is dying in a Montreal hospital, which in a five minute scene is established as the horror of socialist Canadian health care. Remy's ex-wife calls upon his estranged, well-off son, Sebastien to come visit and take care of his dying father. What follows is both a comic and a touching critique of the achievements of socialism. The film also suggests that the increasingly nihilist capitalism, or money, seems to be the only way to get around in this world. Money gets Remy out of an overcrowded ward, it gets him the most accurate medical tests and the "painkillers" he needs to survive.

But "Barbarian Invasions" is critical of both systems: there is a beautiful scene where an auctioneer visits an old Montreal priest who takes her to the basement where he apparently has statuettes and chalices he wants to sell. The girl examines them and tells him that they would be of more value to the people at the church than on the world market. The priest remarks starkly: "In other words, they are worthless." Capitalism, consequently, is as anti-spiritual as socialism was.

However, there are far more levels to "Barbarian Invasions" than mere politics. In fact, the film's goal is really to scream "Politics Aside!" so that we can make room for the man who is dying. Because Remy is not a quiet, subdued man. He is a lusty man a la Sabbath from Roth's "Sabbath's Theater" who loves life, women, wine and radical socialism. But now, that all those things are distant from him, he is forced to question his life, his relationships with his friends and his estranged children.

What follows is a profound and touching elegy to the stupidities of youth, the mistakes in life, the regret and acceptance of old age - in other words of humanity. In the end, though Remy may be disillusioned with socialism, and definitely not all-too-happy with capitalism, facing death somehow robs politics of their significance. Not to say that politics aren't significant in life, because they pervade everything we do and see and so on, but bare, unadulterated life shines through for Remy. In the end, "Barbarian Invasions" is about death, and dying with dignity and how that dignity is achieved. While neither capitalism nor socialism offer it, it can be found at a more basic, human level.

It's ironic, as a side-note, that this film came out roughly at the same time as Bertolucci's "The Dreamers," which is essentially a contemplation on the idealism and romanticism of French socialism and the "free love" culture of the 60s. I found Bertolucci's film much less profound than his greater ones - it used an affair between two siblings and an American closed off in an apartment for several days as a metaphor for the sixties. It ended rather tragically, but unrealistically - it tried to convince us that people got out from their cloistered "apartments" (read mentalities) and went to the streets to protest. What "Barbarian Invasions" tells us is that the protesters on the street were still really in that apartment, cloistered from reality.

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