Romance (1999)

Director:

Catherine Breillat

Writer:

Catherine Breillat (writer)

Release Date:

14 April 1999 (Belgium)

Genre:

Drama | Adult

Plot:

Although deeply in love with her boyfriend - and indeed sleeping in the same bed with him - a schoolteacher...

Plot Keywords:

Birth Of A Baby Footage | Erection | Leg Spreading | Male Full Frontal Nudity | Male Frontal Nudity

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Caroline Ducey	...	Marie
Sagamore Stévenin	...	Paul
François Berléand	...	Robert
Rocco Siffredi	...	Paolo
Reza Habouhossein	...	Man on stairs
Ashley Wanninger	...	Ashley
Emma Colberti	...	Charlotte
Fabien de Jomaron	...	Claude
Carla	...	Model
Pierre Maufront	...	Photographer
Antoine Amador	...	Hairdresser
Roman Rouzier	...	Echography technician
Oliver Buchette	...	Head doctor
Emmanuelle N'Guyen	...	Midwife
Nadia Latoui	...	Nurse
Sylvie Drieu	...	Assistant nurse
Samuel Charter	...	Intern
Alexis Gignoux	...	Intern
Muriel Gregoire	...	Intern
Sebastien Jochmans	...	Intern
Emmanuel Salengro	...	Intern
Christian Poitrasson	...	Lone man
Roberto Malone
Coco
Steve Cox
Jean-Pierre Daniel
Fovéa
Bernard Garreau
Hervé P. Gustave		(as Pierre-Gustave Hervé)
Kosta
Alain L'Yle		(as Alain Lille)
Kevin Long
Aziz
Marco
Karine Menachemoff
Angélique Polosse
Salomé
Cédric Samson
Yamine Tamerhoulet
Tramber
Vince
Caroline Virly

Directed by
Catherine Breillat

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Catherine Breillat		writer

Produced by
Catherine Jacques	....	executive producer
Jean-François Lepetit	....	producer

Original Music by
Raphaël Tidas
DJ Valentin

Cinematography by
Giorgos Arvanitis

Film Editing by
Agnès Guillemot

Casting by
Estelle Bertrand
Jacques Grant
Catherine Hofer
Nicolas Lublin
Guylène Péan
Michaël Weill

Production Design by
Frédérique Belvaux

Art Direction by
Valérie Leblanc Weber

Set Decoration by
Alexis Forestier
Pierre Gerbaux
Julien Poitou-Weber		(as Julien Poitou Weber)

Costume Design by
Ann Dunsford		(as Anne Dunsford Varenne)
Christian Lacroix		(dresses)

Makeup Department
Antoine Amador	....	additional hair stylist
Claire Monatte	....	hair stylist
Claire Monatte	....	makeup artist
Christian Morales	....	additional hair stylist
Pascal Thiollier	....	additional makeup artist

Production Management
Max Belmessieri	....	production manager
Bernard Brun	....	post-production supervisor
Laurent Charchaude	....	production manager
Philippe Guérinel	....	production manager
Eddy Jabès	....	production manager
Samir Larif	....	production manager (as Samir Larrif)
Jean-Marc Maestracci	....	production manager
Eric Margolis	....	production manager
Denis Oliveau-Lebreton	....	production manager
Anne Rogé	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Fabrice Bigot	....	second assistant director
Michaël Weill	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Pascal Bloquet	....	painter
Pqtrice Colardelli	....	carpenter foreman
Michel Courtemanche	....	carpenter
Bruno Devresse	....	carpenter
Olivier Garand	....	painter
Alain Gosse	....	chief constructor
Daniel Grimm	....	assistant decorator
Peter Hammond	....	painter
Alexandre Jacques	....	intern art department
Emmanuel Jaffre	....	carpenter
Frédéric Jourdan	....	carpenter
Alexandra Koubbachian	....	assistant decorator
Brigitte Lefranc	....	painter
Alexandra Pulman	....	exteriors
Christine Rey	....	tapestries
Véronique Robinson	....	carpenter
Gérard Simonet	....	chief carpenter

Sound Department
Emmanuel Augeard	....	chief sound editor
Marc Authesserre	....	head sound department
Eric Bonnard	....	sound mixer (as Erix Bonnard)
Pascal Chauvin	....	sound effects
Pascal Dedeye	....	assistant sound effects
Joël Jacovella	....	assistant sound editor
Paul Lainé	....	sound
Marie Massiani	....	chief sound effects operator
Pascale Paoli	....	sound assistant
Peggy Rivoallan	....	assistant sound engineer
Eric Tisserand	....	head sound department
Alexandre Vraux	....	assistant sound editor

Camera and Electrical Department
Yorgos Angelou	....	key grip
Thierry Engler	....	electrician
Yorgos Giannelis	....	assistant camera
Izet Kutlovac	....	key electrician
Eric Le Roux	....	steadicam operator (as Eric Leroux)
Gilles Papillon	....	electrician
Sergio Rodrigues	....	electrician
Simon Sarketzis	....	second assistant camera
Alain Thernisson	....	electrician
Roger-Paul Tizio	....	assistant camera

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Janet Latimer	....	costumer
Janine Schlumberger	....	seamstress

Editorial Department
Bernard Bran	....	post-production
Fabrice Dequeant	....	color timer
Christophe Nowak	....	assistant editor
Agnès Touzeau	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Stéphane Ackermann	....	composer: song "Dorn"
Carolyn Donovan	....	composer: song "Spanish Storm"
Bruno Kamm	....	composer: song "Dorn"
Jean-Marie Leau	....	music coordinator
Jonathan Lesane	....	composer: song "Spanish Storm"
Sean Spencer	....	composer: song "Spanish Storm"

Other crew
Max Belmessieri	....	location scout
Patrice Birzin	....	groupman
Frédéric Bouchet	....	production administrator
Didier Dekeyser	....	laboratory technician
Marie-Christine Gauchée	....	production administrator
Valéry Guibal	....	finance director
Mélissa	....	double: "Marie"
Georges Polonia	....	groupman
Dominique Rémy	....	production secretary
Séverine Siaut	....	script supervisor
Emmanuelle Wiclezinski	....	location scout

Production Companies

• CB (Catherine Breillat) Films
• CB Films
• Canal+
• Centre National de la Cinématographie (CNC)
• Flach Film
• La Sept Cinéma
• Procirep
• arte France Cinéma

Distributors

• Rézo Films (1999) (France) (theatrical)
• Lolafilms Distribución (1999) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Alfa Films (1999) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Angel Films (2000) (Denmark) (theatrical)
• Arthaus Filmverleih (2000) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Canvas (2004) (Belgium) (TV) (first national airing)
• Cinema Mondo (1999) (Finland) (theatrical)
• First Distributors (1999) (Hong Kong) (theatrical)
• Homescreen (2000) (Netherlands) (DVD) (VHS)
• Irfan Film (1999) (Turkey) (all media)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2001) (Germany) (DVD)
• Madman Entertainment (2001) (Australia) (DVD)
• Trimark Home Video (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Trimark Pictures (1999) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Vidmark Entertainment (2001) (USA) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Assurances Continentales  insurance
• Auditel  editing
• Cininter  electrical equipment
• Davidis  auditorium
• Digison  auditorium
• Ercidan  titles
• FKGB Arguments  publicity
• GTC Joinville  auditorium
• Planning Caméra  steadicam
• Samalga  camera equipment provided by
• Transpalux  electrical equipment
• Tri-Track Sync  post-synchronization

Also Known As:

Romance X (poster title)

MPAA:

Rated R for language and strong sexual content including dialogue.

Runtime:

84 min | USA:99 min (unrated version)

Country:

France

Language:

French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Japan:R-18 | Australia:R (reclassification) | Iceland:16 | Australia:X (original rating) | Finland:K-15 (uncut) (DVD rating) | Finland:K-18 (original rating) | Argentina:18 | Canada:18+ (Quebec) | Canada:18 (Nova Scotia) (cut US version) | Canada:A (Alberta) | Canada:R (British Columbia/Manitoba/Ontario) | Canada:XXX (Nova Scotia) | Chile:18 | Finland:K-16 (re-rating) | France:-16 | Germany:18 | Hong Kong:III | Ireland:(Banned) | Italy:VM18 | New Zealand:R18 | Norway:18 | South Korea:18 (original rating) (cut) | South Korea:Limited (re-release) (uncut) | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:18 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:18 (canton of Vaud) | UK:18 | USA:R (cut) | USA:Unrated

Company:

CB (Catherine Breillat) Films

Trivia:

The film is dedicated to actress and director Christine Pascal, who committed suicide in 1996.

Goofs:

At the end of the movie, Marie feels she'll give birth soon, so she tries to wake up Paul. During this scene she moves in a way which is impossible for a woman in her state of pregnancy.

Quotes:

[last lines]
Marie: I gave my son his father's name. If someone up there counts souls, then we're even.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "SexTV: Zak Smith/The Nature of Sex/A Moment with... Catherine Breillat (#9.5)" (2006)

Soundtrack:

Free Your Mind and Your Ass Will Follow

A movie about realising identity - not about gender

I was very confused at the end of 'Romance' as to whether I liked it or not, and whether I thought it was a good film or not. The best bit for me was probably the Q&A with director Catherine Breillat at the end. She was (especially with the help of a translator) very interesting and articulate - whether one agreed with her or not - and I found the film a valuable commentary on her thoughts rather than the other way round.

The film is confusing; as we are aware, this is not pornography - but what *is* it about? Gender issues? Masochism? The female central character goes through a number of extreme sexual encounters and eventually finds some sense of identity unrelated to her sense of being part of a sexual partnership - although the struggle to find that identity has necessitated exploring her sexual desire. The other issue is censorship, as Breillat has something of a mission to push back censorship; this is related to her philosophical take on sexuality however rather than abolishing censorship for the sake of doing so alone. That which (sexually) disgusts us is twinned to that which (sexually) uplifts - the difference is not in the type of act but in the context - all of which is an extended metaphor on censorship itself. Breillat claims that the acts we find offensive in real life are also the acts we find offensive in images, an idea which in itself can lead to some self-awareness. But to Breillat, sexuality has become stereotyped in films. Show she wants to explore the boundaries and show that those boundaries, in themselves, are not good or bad, just as many acts, stereotyped as disgusting or wonderful, are not so in themselves but only in how we make them.

The degree to which she achieves this in 'Romance' may be the subject of debate for a long time to come. I hope I get the chance to see and study some of her other films. I hope the film is not cut by the censors. As to whether it is a great movie, I am less sure (after a lot of discussion and thought I'm slightly more inclined to say it is than it isn't though!) As I am gradually convinced of the director's unshaking artistic integrity I am more willing to put in the effort to understand her rather complex thought. As her film is her principle expression of this thought I have ranked it quite highly - largely for what she attempts, with whatever success, than what she achieves. As Sartre pointed out, success is more in the journey than the achievement.