Valley of Love

Valley of Love is a 2015 French film directed by Guillaume Nicloux, starring Gérard Depardieu and Isabelle Huppert. It tells the story of two French people who used to be a couple and had a son 25 years ago. They reunite after the son's death, having received a letter asking them to visit five places in Death Valley, which will make the son reappear. The film was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival.[3][4] It film won the César Award for Best Cinematography at the 41st César Awards.[5]

Valley of Love
Film poster
Directed byGuillaume Nicloux
Produced byCyril Colbeau-Justin
Jean-Baptiste Dupont
Sylvie Pialat
Written byGuillaume Nicloux
StarringIsabelle Huppert
Gérard Depardieu
Music byCharles Ives
CinematographyChristophe Offenstein
Edited byGuy Lecorne
Production
company
Les Films du Worso
Distributed byLe Pacte
Release date
  • 22 May 2015 (2015-05-22) (Cannes)
  • 17 June 2015 (2015-06-17) (France)
Running time
92 minutes
CountryFrance
LanguageFrench
English
Budget$2.9 million[1]
Box office$1.2 million[2]

Plot

Gérard and Isabelle, a French couple separated for decades, meet up at a desert motel in California. Each has received a letter from their son Michaël, who killed himself in San Francisco six months earlier, asking them to visit certain spots in Death Valley on certain days, when he will reappear to them. While Isabelle has stayed petite and attractive, she is shocked to see that Gérard is in poor health and enormous. The two squabble and sentimentalise, sometimes wondering if an old flame could be reignited and sometimes sick of the other's company. Grumbling at the apparent pointlessness of the mission, and wilting under the intense heat, they nevertheless follow Michaël's instructions. One night back at the motel, Isabelle panics and Gérard rushes to her room. She is convinced there was an intruder, who could have been Michaël. She says he seized her ankles, which afterwards exhibit a mysterious inflammation. Out together in the desert, Gérard walks on alone and returns to Isabelle in panic, convinced that he met Michaël, who seized his wrists. Later, they too become inflamed. The film ends there, leaving viewers to ponder what meaning the couple will draw from their experience and whether it may bring them closer again.

Cast

Production

The film was produced through Les Films du Worso and LGM Cinéma, with co-production support from DD Productions, France 3 Cinéma and Belgium's Scope Pictures. It was pre-bought by Canal+ and received backing from the CNC, Soficinéma, Cinémage, Cofinova and Palatine Etoile Soficas. Filming in California began on 8 September 2014.[6]

Release

The film was released in France on 17 June 2015.[7]

Accolades
Award / Film Festival Category Recipients and nominees Result
Cannes Film Festival[3] Palme d'Or Nominated
César Awards[8] Best Actor Gérard Depardieu Nominated
Best Actress Isabelle Huppert Nominated
Best Cinematography Christophe Offenstein Won
Lumières Awards[9] Best Actor Gérard Depardieu Nominated
Best Actress Isabelle Huppert Nominated

References
  1. "Valley of Love". JP's Box-Office.
  2. "Valley of Love". Box Office Mojo.
  3. "Complement to the Official Selection". Cannes Film Festival. 23 April 2015. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
  4. "Screenings Guide". Festival de Cannes. 6 May 2015. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
  5. "Cesar Awards: Philippe Faucon's Drama 'Fatima' Wins Best Film". Variety. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  6. Lemercier, Fabien (11 September 2014). "Isabelle Huppert and Gérard Depardieu filming The Valley of Love". Cineuropa. Retrieved 29 March 2015.
  7. "The Valley of Love". AlloCiné (in French). Retrieved 29 March 2015.
  8. "'Golden Years,' 'Marguerite,' 'Dheepan,' 'Mustang' Lead Cesar Nominations". Variety.
  9. "Prix Lumières 2016 : Trois souvenirs de ma jeunesse et Mustang en tête des nominations". AlloCiné. 4 January 2016.
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