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Belle and Sebastian (film)

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Wikipedia article




'Belle and Sebastian' is a 2013 French adventure drama film directed by Nicolas Vanier. It was based on the 1966 French novel 'Belle et Sbastien' by Ccile Aubry, which in turn was based on the 1965 French TV series. The film was the first of a trilogy, as the second film adventure 'Belle & Sebastian: The Adventure Continues', was released on 9 December 2015, with the final film being 'Belle and Sebastian, Friends for Life', released in 2017.

Plot



In the French Alps, during the year 1943, Sbastien is a seven year old orphan boy living with Csar, an adoptive "grandfather" and his niece, Anglina. The unusual little family lives in the small village of Saint-Martin, whose inhabitants, despite the German occupation, secretly organize the passage of Jewish exiles into Switzerland. The village is also plagued by a mysterious "Beast" who preys on the flocks of the shepherds and the inhabitants, including Csar's animals.

Sbastien is a very lonely child who is suffering from the absence of his mother. He believes that she migrated "to America, just over the mountains", and spends all his days in the mountains. One day, on the way home, he meets a huge dog, wild and completely discredited: it is the so-called "Beast". Sbastien quickly makes friends with the animal, a female livestock guardian dog, and names her "Belle" because he is struck by her beauty after she is cleaned up from the mud that she was coated with. Sbastien decides to keep his friendship with Belle a secret to protect her.

Meanwhile, a German patrol, commanded by the ambiguous Lieutenant Peter Braun, arrives in Saint-Martin to put an end to the secret escape route of the Jews. Sbastien, during one of his trips along with Belle, collides with two of the soldiers; Belle responds by attacking and injuring one of the soldiers. Lieutenant Braun orders the mayor of Saint-Martin to arrange a hunt to track down and kill the "Beast". Meanwhile, Csar discovers Sbastien's secret and is horrified. Knowing that Sbastien will try to prevent Belle from being shot, Csar gives the boy the wrong directions to the hunting area. But he is still able to interfere, at least for a while. Then Csar takes him out of the area, while the hunt goes on. Csar and the village men manage to find and hurt Belle. Sbastien escapes confinement, and finds the wounded dog and tries to help her. He is now furious with Csar, but asks for help from Dr. Guillaume, the village doctor and Anglina's boyfriend. After an initial hesitation, (and being prodded with a con from Sbastien) he agrees to treat Belle and saves her life.



Unbeknownst to Sbastien, Dr. Guillaume is also the one who is responsible for escorting the Jews to the Swiss border. One evening, the doctor hides a family in a cave prior to a trip to the border, when the sound of wolves is heard in the valley. The doctor goes out as the wolves start causing a ruckus in the sheepfold. Guillaume slips and falls into the sheepfold as Belle bounds down out of nowhere and drives off the wolves. The doctor sits up and moans: his ankle is broken, he cannot walk. He finds a sled, lies down on it, and starts pawing his way to town when Belle stops him, picks up the rope, and begins to tow him. She takes him to Anglina's house where everyone except Sbastien and Guillaume is surprised by the dog. Csar instantly apologizes to Sbastien for wanting to kill Belle.

Guillaume, who is now injured, can no longer lead the Jews, and his place is taken by Anglina and Sbastien, who followed her and sneaked into the cave behind her. The boy befriends Esther, the daughter of the two refugees that Guillaume was to escort, and by talking with her, he discovers that Csar lied to him about where America truly is. That evening, Sbastien creeps back into town and sneaks into the schoolhouse to look at a map. Later, Csar discovers him in the schoolhouse and reveals the truth: his mother died while giving birth to him. Csar was present by chance and agreed to take care of Sbastien; he has so far been silent or preferring to lie to protect him. Sbastien is sad, but now he knows he can always count on Csar and he makes peace with him. It is Christmas Eve, and Csar gives him a treasured gift: a pocket watch with a compass.

Meanwhile, the Germans realize that some Jews might try to escape on Christmas Day, and begin to scour the mountain passes. Anglina and the Jews leave the cave, but the trip is cut short by Lieutenant Braun. He shouts to her, and she herds the family faster up the mountain. He shouts to her again, but all of them are suddenly overwhelmed by an avalanche caused by his shouts. Lt. Braun, when dug out of the snow, surprisingly warns her to take another route to reach the border because his soldiers are patrolling the mountain. Anglina is moved.

The only possible way now is dangerous and full of crevasses; Sbastien boasts that Belle, thanks to her sense of smell, will guide them. Not without difficulty, Belle, Sbastien and Anglina manage to escape from the Germans and to bring the Jews to Switzerland, where they are greeted by a local guide. Here, Anglina reveals that she will go on to England to help win the war. She promises Sbastien that she will return once it's all over, leaving Belle and Sbastien to walk back home alone. The Swiss guide questions her if she is sure that he is able to make such a long, difficult journey on his own, but Anglina, in tears, replies that Sbastien is not all alone.

Cast



* as Sbastien

* Tchky Karyo as Csar

* Margaux Chtelier as Anglina

* as Docteur Guillaume

* Andreas Pietschmann as Lieutenant Peter Braun

* Urbain Cancelier as The Mayor

* Mehdi El Glaoui as Andr

* Andre Damant as Clestine

* Paloma Palma as Esther

* Karine Adrover as Esther's Mother

* Loc Varrautn as Esther's Father

* Jan Oliver Scihroeder as Soldier Hans

* Tom Sommerlatgte as Soldier Erich

* Pasquale D'Incga as The Butcher

* Eric Soubelet as Fabien

Production



In less than a week in Italy, "Belle and Sebastian" was the most-popular film at the box office, grossing . The facts narrated in the film are taken from the stories of French writer Ccile Aubry, who were then transported to the small screen as the 1960s television series of the 1960s. In the 1980s, "Belle and Sebastian" was adapted into a long series of Japanese cartoons, of which the film's director, Nicolas Vanier, was an avid fan. "As a child I was completely crazy in the TV series Belle and Sebastian, which is why, when I was offered this project, I was very intimidated! For me it was not a corny TV series, but a long series of episodes of one more beautiful 'other. Accept to make a film adaptation was a big challenge. When I was contacted by the production, suddenly everything I had tried watching Belle and Sbastien had awakened and felt compelled to make this film the best".

Flix Bossuet, the boy who plays the main role, was chosen from more than 2,400 children from the same director candidates because of a "lightning strike" as stated by Vanier.

Mehdi El Glaoui, the son of Ccile Aubry, who played Sebastian in the TV series of the same name in the 1960s, has a small role in the film as Andr.

Awards



"Belle and Sebastian" was awarded Best Film in 2014 at the Children KinoFest, an international film festival in Ukraine.

Sequel



In July 2014, Gaumont greenlit a sequel film, directed by Christian Duguay, and reuniting screenwriters Sales and Suarez as well as cast members Bossuet, Karyo, Chatelier and Cancelier.

References




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