Mozart des pickpockets, Le (2006)

Director:

Philippe Pollet-Villard

Writer:

Philippe Pollet-Villard (writer)

Release Date:

15 February 2008 (USA)

Genre:

Short | Comedy | Crime

Plot:

Richard and Philippe live hand to mouth, backing up a gang of Spanish pickpockets on the streets of Paris...

Plot Keywords:

Boy | Punch In The Face | Rolex | Pen | Bandage

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 4 wins

Cast

Matteo Razzouki-Safardi	...	L'enfant
Philippe Pollet-Villard	...	Philippe
Richard Morgiève	...	Richard
Samir Guesmi	...	Ahmed, le réceptionniste
Emiliano Suarez	...	Max
Jean Sarguera	...	Pickpocket 1
Jean Camaccio	...	Pickpocket 2
Pipo Sarguera	...	Pickpocket 3 (as Pipo)
Fatima Halassi	...	Angry Woman
Suzanne Wognin	...	Angry Woman
Ludovic Pinette	...	Bowling Policeman
Jean Bailloux	...	Policeman in Van
Thibault De Lussy	...	Tourist
Lionel Robert
Marcel Roger
François Bureloup
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Mathieu Suzanne

Directed by
Philippe Pollet-Villard

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Philippe Pollet-Villard		writer

Produced by
Antoine Gandaubert	....	associate producer
Fabrice Goldstein	....	producer
Antoine Rein	....	producer

Original Music by
Flemming Nordkrog

Cinematography by
Philippe Piffeteau

Film Editing by
Cyril Nakache

Production Design by
Jérémie Streliski

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Stephen Gregory	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Elsa Bandelier	....	assistant art director
Elsa Bandelier	....	property assistant

Sound Department
Vincent Piponnier	....	sound

Camera and Electrical Department
Michel Anglio	....	grip
Pierre Antoine Conan	....	electrician
Vladimir Duranovic	....	key grip
François-Xavier Le Reste	....	chief electrician
Arnaud M. St. Martin de Veyran	....	electrician

Production Companies

• Karé Productions
• Canal+ (participation)
• Adami (participation)
• Centre National de la Cinématographie (CNC) (participation)
• Procirep (participation)
• Angoa-Agicoa (participation)

Also Known As:

The Mozart of Pickpockets (International: English title) (literal title)

Runtime:

France:31 min

Country:

France

Language:

French

Color:

Color

Filming Locations:

Paris, France

Company:

Karé Productions

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 80th Annual Academy Awards (2008) (TV)

Cute and funny--but an Oscar winner?!

This review was originally posted 2/17/08. For some odd reason, IMDb won't let me alter my original review at all (something I've done many other times to other reviews), so I was forced to delete the review and repost it--updating some important information.

I saw this movie at a special showing by a local film society of all the Oscar nominated Live Action Shorts about a week or so before the Oscars were announced. For a while, this film was posted online (I think on Atomfilms.com and one other site) but has recently been removed. I think this film has a very small chance to win this year's Oscar because two other films, AT NIGHT and TANGHI ARGENTINI are better films. Now this ISN'T to say THE MOZART OF PICKPOCKETS is bad or didn't deserve the nomination--it is an exceptional and charming little comedy.

The film starts with a group of pickpockets working the streets of Paris. Eventually, 3 of the 5 are caught--leaving the two dumbest crooks alone. At the same time, a mute little boy just appears from no where and follows the crooks home. Not knowing what to do, they decide to keep him.

The film has so many cute twists and the ending is wonderful. However, I don't want to say more because it might spoil the suspense. Watch this one--it's a nice little film.

2/24/08--Apparently, I am an idiot and you should never take me to Vegas! Tonight this film DID win the Oscar--who'd have figured?!