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GIFFONI FILM FESTIVAL 2003 - 19.26 July

Sections & Films

THE BUTTERFLY

Category: Edition 2003

Synopsis

Eight-year-old Elsa and her single mother Isabel move into a new apartment block in Paris. Julien, a gruff watchmaker who is now a pensioner, lives in the same block. After the death of his son he now has one great passion: collecting butterflies. One afternoon Elsa’s mother does not come to pick her up at the Bistrot where they were to meet and where Julien can usually be found. The old man finds himself forced to accompany the girl home. From that moment on Elsa begins to visit Julien and she discovers that the old man is planning a visit to the Vercors region to capture a rare butterfly. Elsa hides in his car, only allowing herself to be found when it is too late to turn back. At first Julien decides to consign the girl to the police, but then he allows himself to be convinced to keep her with him when Elsa tells him that her mother is in agreement with this plan. The two embark on an adventurous journey during which they learn to get to know and to love each other, notwithstanding their differences. Julien teaches Elsa respect for life and for others, while Elsa helps Julien to rediscover the pleasure and warmth of laughter.

Original Title LE PAPILLON
Italian Title IL MIRACOLO DELLA FARFALLA
Category Official Competition
Section First Screens
Tipology Feature Film
Duration 90'
Production Year 2002
Nationality France
Directed by Philippe Muyl
Screenplay Philippe Muyl
Script Philippe Muyl
Director of photography Nicolas Herdt
Editor Mireille Leroy
Production Design Nikos Meletopoulos
Costume Design Sylvie de Segonzac, Françoise Dubois
Sound Yves Osmu
Music Nicolas Errèra
Main cast Michel Serrault (Julien)
Claire Bouanich (Elsa)
Nade Dieu (Isabelle)
Jerry Lucas (Sébastien)
Jacques Bouanich (il padre di Sébastien/Sébastien’s father)
Catherine Cyler (la madre di Sébastien/Sébastien’s mother)
Produced by Patrick Godeau
Access

the butterfly regPhilippe Muyl

Born 1953, Lille (France). He studied graphic art in Belgium, going on to attend the High School of Publicity in Paris. After this he worked in the advertising field as Editor and Artistic Director. He was co-founder of the creative design company Interline and the audiovisual aids company Synchronie Productions. He has directed industrial films and publicity shorts since 1976. His first short film was L’ECOLE DES CHEFS, which was followed by L’ARBRE SOUS LA MER, a fantasy story in that competed in Berlin in 1985. Among his other films are: KITCHEN WITH APARTMENT (CUISINE ET DÉPENDANCES, 1993), TOUT DOIT DISPARAÎTRE (1997) and the comedy A COW AND THE BOY (LA VACHE ET LE PRÉSIDENT, 2000).

 

Director’s statement

“What are the film’s principal themes? Both the protagonists suffer from a lack of love. For the man it is a lost love, that of his son; for the girl it is a love that she has yet to find: that of her mother. So there are two themes that interweave: on the one hand the promise the man has made and now has to maintain, on the other the lack of love in the girl’s life”.

Production
Aliceleo
1 quai Gabriel Péri, 94340 Joinville-Le-Pont - France
phone + 33 143976800
fax + 33 143976801
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World sales
Festival contact
France Televisions Distribution
Immeuble “Le Barjac”, 1 bd Victor 75015 Paris - France
phone +33 144250101
fax +33 144250195
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