All Cats Are Grey (French: Tous les chats sont gris) is a 2014 Belgian coming-of-age drama film directed by Savina Dellicour and co-written by Dellicour and Matthieu de Braconier. All Cats Are Grey had its world premiere at the 32nd Turin Film Festival. It also screened as a special presentation during the 2015 Santa Barbara International Film Festival, where it won Best International Film. Critical response was generally strong and the film received nine nominations at the 6th Magritte Awards, including Best Film and Best Director for Dellicour.[2]
All Cats Are Grey | |
---|---|
Directed by | Savina Dellicour |
Written by | Savina Dellicour Matthieu de Braconier |
Produced by | Valérie Bournonville Joseph Rouschop |
Starring | |
Cinematography | Thomas Buelens |
Edited by | Ewin Ryckaert |
Production company | Tarantula Belgique |
Distributed by | O'Brother |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 85 minutes |
Country | Belgium |
Language | French |
Budget | €1.4 million[1] |
Plot
editDorothy (Manon Capelle) is a 15-year-old girl who was raised in a well-off residential neighbourhood of Brussels. She does not feel comfortable with her daily life, partly because of the detached relationship with her mother (Anne Coesens). Dorothy finds music a pleasant form of escape and passes her days listening to The Cure and new music artists. By chance, she meets Paul (Bouli Lanners), a 43-year-old man who works as a detective and leads a solitary existence after his wife's death. Dorothy asks him for help in the search for her biological father and Paul agrees. A strong connection arises between them, but Dorothy doest not know that he is actually her biological father. Over the years, away from Dorothy, Paul has always lived with this secret. Now back in Brussels he has been watching her from afar, without ever daring to approach her.
Cast
edit- Manon Capelle as Dorothy
- Bouli Lanners as Paul
- Anne Coesens as Christine
- Aisleen McLafferty
- Astrid Whettnall
- Vincent Lecuyer
Critical reception
editUpon its screening at the Rome Film Festival, All Cats Are Grey was positively received with a standing ovation from the audience.[3] On the review aggregator Cinebel, the film has received a weighted average score of 8.2 out of 10, based on 11 critics.[4] Michaël Degré from L'Avenir felt that the film offers a smart reflection about fatherhood and family.[5] Fernand Denis of La Libre Belgique called Dellicour's direction a "polished work" which displays a "sense of observation and a tone that mixes harmoniously humor and existential angst". He also regarded Lanners' acting as one of his finest performances.[6]
Hugues Dayez from RTBF commented that Dellicour builds a real suspense drama in which she describes with "great accuracy" the social impact of two distant worlds: the modest and simple world of Paul, and the austere and hypocritical one of Christine.[7] Louis Danvers from Le Vif wrote that the young Manon Capelle and Bouli Lanners form a "very convincing couple". He praised Dellicour's direction and Thomas Buelens' cinematography.[8] The Canadian Film Institute described the film as "superbly written", filled with unexpected discoveries for characters and audience alike, and called Manon Capelle a revelation.[9]
Accolades
editAward / Film Festival | Category | Recipient(s) | Result |
---|---|---|---|
Annonay International Film Festival[10] | Grand Jury Prize | Nominated | |
Audience Award | Won | ||
Magritte Awards[11] | Best Film | Nominated | |
Best Director | Savina Dellicour | Nominated | |
Best Actor | Bouli Lanners | Nominated | |
Best Supporting Actress | Anne Coesens | Won | |
Most Promising Actress | Manon Capelle | Nominated | |
Best Production Design | Paul Rouschop | Nominated | |
Best Costume Design | Sabine Zappitelli | Nominated | |
Best Editing | Ewin Ryckaert | Nominated | |
Best First Feature Film | Won | ||
Mons International Film Festival[12] | BeTV Prize | Won | |
Santa Barbara International Film Festival[13] | Best International Film | Won |
References
edit- ^ "Tous les chats sont gris, premier long de Savina Dellicour" (in French). Cineuropa. August 20, 2013. Retrieved January 14, 2016.
- ^ "Magritte du cinéma : pluie de nominations pour Jaco van Dormael et Savina Dellicour". Le Soir (in French). January 12, 2016. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
- ^ Ceuterick, André (October 23, 2014). ""Tous les chats sont gris": un film belge au Festival de Rome". Sud Presse (in French). Retrieved January 15, 2016.
- ^ "Tous les chats sont gris". Cinebel (in French). La Dernière Heure. Retrieved January 15, 2016.
- ^ Degré, Michaël (April 29, 2015). "Esprits de famille". L'Avenir (in French). Retrieved January 15, 2016.
- ^ Denis, Fernand (April 23, 2015). ""Tous les chats sont gris" : Trois cœurs". La Libre Belgique (in French). Retrieved January 15, 2016.
- ^ Dayez, Hugues (April 29, 2015). ""Tous les chats sont gris", une belle découverte" (in French). RTBF. Retrieved January 15, 2016.
- ^ Danvers, Louis (April 28, 2015). "Critique ciné: Tous les chats sont gris, la quête du père". Le Vif (in French). Retrieved January 15, 2016.
- ^ "All Cats Are Grey". Canadian Film Institute. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 15, 2016.
- ^ "Palmarès" (in French). Festival International du Premier Film d'Annonay. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
- ^ Moury, Gaëlle; Bradfer, Fabienne (February 7, 2016). "Jaco Van Dormael et la Flandre se distinguent aux Magritte du cinéma". Le Soir (in French). Archived from the original on February 8, 2016. Retrieved February 7, 2016.
- ^ Engelen, Aurore (March 2, 2015). "An eclectic group of winners at the Mons International Love Film Festival". Cineuropa. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
- ^ Lattanzio, Ryan (February 7, 2015). "Santa Barbara Film Fest Reveals 2015 Prize Winners". Indiewire. Archived from the original on March 18, 2016. Retrieved January 13, 2016.