Ma mère (2004)

User Rating:

5.2/10   

Director:

Christophe Honoré

Writers:

Georges Bataille (novel)
Christophe Honoré (writer)

Release Date:

19 May 2004 (Belgium)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Based on George Bataille's posthumous and controversial novel: When his father dies, a young man is introduced by his attractive, amoral mother to a world of hedonism and depravity.

Plot Keywords:

Exhibitionism | Island | Canary Islands | Istanbul Turkey | Love

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Isabelle Huppert	...	Hélène, the Mother
Louis Garrel	...	Pierre, the Son
Emma de Caunes	...	Hansi
Joana Preiss	...	Réa
Jean-Baptiste Montagut	...	Loulou
Dominique Reymond	...	Marthe
Olivier Rabourdin	...	Robert
Philippe Duclos	...	The Father
Pascal Tokatlian	...	Klaus
Théo Hakola	...	Ian
Nuno Lopes	...	The Doctor
Patrick Fanik	...	Eric
Susi Egetenmeier	...	Woman in dunes
Sylvia Johnson	...	Woman of couple

Directed by
Christophe Honoré

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Georges Bataille		novel
Christophe Honoré		writer

Produced by
Paulo Branco	....	producer
Dimitri de Clercq	....	associate producer
Alexander Dumreicher-Ivanceanu	....	co-producer
Gabriele Kranzelbinder	....	co-producer
Bernard-Henri Lévy	....	producer
Stéphane Sorlat	....	associate producer

Cinematography by
Hélène Louvart

Film Editing by
Chantal Hymans

Casting by
Richard Rousseau

Production Design by
Laurent Allaire

Costume Design by
Pierre Canitrot

Makeup Department
Frédéric Balmer	....	assistant makeup artist
Paul de Fisser	....	hair stylist
Delphine Jaffart	....	key makeup artist
Pierre Olivier Persin	....	special makeup effects artist

Production Management
Joaquim Carvalho	....	unit production manager
Laetitia Fèvre	....	production supervisor
Sylvain Monod	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Julie Gouet	....	assistant director
Sylvie Peyre	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Yannick Heuveline	....	assistant decorator
Arnaud Roth	....	first assistant decorator

Sound Department
Jean-Claude Brisson	....	sound
Pascal Despres	....	boom operator
Frédéric Fichefet	....	sound editor
Bernhard Maisch	....	sound
Joaquim Pinto	....	sound

Camera and Electrical Department
Hugues Espinasse	....	focus puller
Jean-François Hensgens	....	first assistant camera
José Carlos Loureiro	....	grip

Casting Department
Margarida Roberto	....	casting: Portugal

Other crew
Helena Gonçalves	....	production assistant
Maureen Meyer	....	script supervisor

Thanks
Diastème	....	thanks
Gaël Morel	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Gemini Films
• Madragoa Filmes
• Amour Fou Filmproduktion
• Centre National de la Cinématographie (CNC) (participation)

Distributors

• Gemini Films (2004) (France) (theatrical)
• Atalanta Filmes (2004) (Portugal) (theatrical)
• Aventi (2005) (France) (DVD)
• Cooperative Nouveau Cinema (2004) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• Italian International Film (2004) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Mongrel Media (2005) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Poool Filmverleih (2007) (Austria) (theatrical)
• TLA Releasing (2005) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Alfa Films (2005) (Argentina) (all media)
• CMV Laservision (2009) (Germany) (DVD)
• Madman Entertainment (2006) (Australia) (DVD)
• Revolver Entertainment (2005) (UK) (all media)
• TLA Releasing (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Transeuropa Video Entertainment (TVE) (2005) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Transeuropa Video Entertainment (TVE) (2005) (Argentina) (VHS)

Also Known As:

Meine Mutter (Austria)
Mi madre (Spain)
My Mother (International: English title)

MPAA:

Rated NC-17 for strong and aberrant sexual content.; Rated R for strong aberrant sexuality, some language and violent images. (special edit)

Runtime:

110 min

Country:

France | Portugal | Austria | Spain

Language:

French | English | German | Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Australia:R | Canada:18A | Portugal:M/18 | USA:R (cut) | New Zealand:R18 | Switzerland:18 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:18 (canton of Vaud) | France:-16 | Italy:VM18 | UK:18 | USA:NC-17 | Argentina:16

Filming Locations:

Canary Islands, Spain

Company:

Gemini Films

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Caché (2005)

Soundtrack:

ADAGIO FOR STRINGS

Happy Mother's Day

There are some that put this film in their Top Ten list for 2005, but I greatly hesitate to list it along with films such as 2046 and A History of Violence.

It is a women's film. By that, I do not mean you will see it on Lifetime, but it stars women who are in full control of their sexuality. It celebrates that sexuality like no film I have seen.

Christophe Honoré (Love Songs) adapted an unfinished Georges Bataille novel and directed this film starring Isabelle Huppert (The Piano Teacher, The Bedroom Window, The School of Flesh, I Heart Huckabees) as a mother who has a child to raise after the untimely death of his father.

Pierre (Louis Garrel) has spent his time in a religious boarding school, so mom enlists the aid of her friends to expose his to her debauched lifestyle. Rea (Joana Preiss) and Hansi (Emma de Caunes - The Science of Sleep) do their best to erase all that religious training exposing him to not only regular sex, but some sadism as well.

The Elle Magazine fans who voted Louis Garrel one of their 15 Sexiest Men this year will not be disappointed at all at what they see. The rest, who are more interested in Isabell, Emma, and Joana will also be very pleased.

I am sure we all wish we had a mom like Hélène.