In the Beginning

2009 2h 10m FR

👍

6.6

SOLID

★6.6TMDB · 150

Drama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

France, present day. A professional conman passes himself off as the boss of a construction site building a highway extension. He cons the whole region, hires dozens of workers and cynically enjoys the profits of his scam until he meets the lady mayor of a small village that the road will go through. She intrigues and unsettles him, before revealing to him a world he never knew: feelings. How far will he go now to save his victims and save himself from his own lies?

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

François Cluzet
Philippe Miller
Emmanuelle Devos
Stéphane
Gérard Depardieu
Abel
Soko
Monika
Vincent Rottiers
Nicolas
Brice Fournier
Louis
Franck Andrieux
Pascal
Stéphan Wojtowicz
Marty

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Xavier Giannoli
Writers: Xavier Giannoli, Marcia Romano
Languages: French
Countries: France

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 / 6

ERA

Did you know

Released 17 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 6

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Xavier Giannoli, shot by Glynn Speeckaert. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 6

DIRECTOR

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 6

DIRECTOR

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 6

CAST

Did you know

François Cluzet and Emmanuelle Devos and Gérard Depardieu carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 6

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt1198385 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Xavier Giannoli directs. Glynn Speeckaert behind the camera. Cliff Martinez scores. Célia Lafitedupont cuts. Produced in France. Dialogue in French.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Released 17 years ago.
2Directed by Xavier Giannoli, shot by Glynn Speeckaert. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
3Original score by Cliff Martinez. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
4Editor Célia Lafitedupont shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
5François Cluzet and Emmanuelle Devos and Gérard Depardieu carry the top of the cast.
6IMDB entry: tt1198385 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.