The Day of the Crows

2012 1h 30m FR

👍

6.6

SOLID

★6.6TMDB · 82

AnimationFamilyFantasy

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

In a cabin of the deep of the forest, a child and his father lead a wild and hard life in utmost isolation. The child grows up fearing and admiring his father, with the ghosts haunting the forest as his only companions. Until the day he discovers the neighbouring village and meets a young girl there, Manon. At her side, he discovers that love exists. From then on he won't cease to search for the place where his father's love for him is hiding.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Jean Reno
Le père Courge (voice)
Lorànt Deutsch
Le fils Courge (voice)
Isabelle Carré
Manon (voice)
Claude Chabrol
Le docteur (voice)
Chantal Neuwirth
La vieille Ronce (voice)
Bruno Podalydès
L'infirmier / Le vieux Ronce (voice)
Patrick Ligardes
Le sergent / Le vieux à la canne (voice)
Philippe Uchan
Le maire (voice)

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Jean-Christophe Dessaint
Writers: Amandine Taffin, Serge Élissalde
Languages: French
Countries: Belgium, Canada, France, Luxembourg

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

90 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 14 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 4 countries: Belgium, Canada, France, Luxembourg.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Simon Leclerc. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Jean-Christophe Dessaint shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Jean Reno and Lorànt Deutsch and Isabelle Carré carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt1891845 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

Only 82 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Jean-Christophe Dessaint directs. Simon Leclerc scores. Jean-Christophe Dessaint cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in Belgium, Canada, France, Luxembourg. Dialogue in French.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

190 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.
2Released 14 years ago.
3International production across 4 countries: Belgium, Canada, France, Luxembourg.
4Original score by Simon Leclerc. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Jean-Christophe Dessaint shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Jean Reno and Lorànt Deutsch and Isabelle Carré carry the top of the cast.
7IMDB entry: tt1891845 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Only 82 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

The technical file

Original score: Simon Leclerc
Editing: Jean-Christophe Dessaint
Runtime: 90 min · 1h 30m
Status: Released
Box office: $473,104
Original language: FR
IMDB: The Day of the Crows (2012)

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Community reviews

What people are saying

Reno2015-08-08
★ 8/10
When the wild-child meets the world. I have seen a few French animations like 'Eleanor's Secret', 'Zarafa' and others. They were so cute, unlike Hollywood's, these were targeted for the children, but adults can watch them as well. No logic can be expected since it is an animation, it ain't masterpiece either, but a pure fantasy tale and the honest entertainment piece. The plot was loosely based on the French children's book of the same name and a feature film debut for the director. Obviously a low budget film, but nothing short to be a high quality flick. This was not a movie with the beautiful character models like from the Disney fairytales, but they were adorable and enjoyable by the portrayal. That's what I always like in the European animations. Technically sounds good, but the stories are what so special in the French animations. This was about a nameless boy, who lives in the heart of the forest with his father. All his life lived within the circle of a boundary, but what happens once he crosses it is what the story that explores. The boy was the centre of the story, his adventures, discoveries and understanding of the human civilization is the movie. The boy's character was not unusual, he has been just like the other version of Tarzan or Mowgli of the French version, who is a feral and curious about the world. Everything going to change when he meets the other creatures of his own and a girl of his age. The circle of life repeats, to break the curse and brings the curtain to the sweet narration. "Our forest stands in the middle of the sky. And the stars turn around like the beast attached to his stake." The end describes the meaning of the title. It was a 90 minute movie, but feels too short. If we talk about the film characters, Jean Reno rendered his voice to one of the main characters. As the characters rough in the looks, the story as well not that pleasant. Of course it is a children's movie, but character behaviours were rough and tough like the father bashing his son, huntings and deaths. Violent, but smooth and clever which are acceptable. The 2D animation has died only a decade ago in the Hollywood, but great to see them still alive in the other part of the world, but facing the recognition problem which might lead to extinction. I have grown watching the cartoons, but now feels like time to say goodbye not too long from here. Now I am monitoring attentively the new products so that I can keep updating in the last hours of this awesome technology. I recommend this film for all ages. As far as the movie, it delivers what was intended to tell. Hope you like the film, as I tried to convince in this review. 8/10

Production companies