1 / 8
ERA
Did you know
Released 19 years ago.
MoodPlayr · trivia#01
The Witnesses
2007 1h 52m FR
😐
6.4
MID
🍅
86%
FRESH
👌
75
METACRITIC
⭐
6.9
IMDB
★6.4TMDB · 66🍅86%Rotten Tomatoes●75Metacritic★6.9IMDB · 2,882
DramaRomance
Synopsis
Spoiler shield
Paris, 1984. A group of friends contend with the first outbreak of the AIDS epidemic.
“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”
Where to watch · US
Cast
Michel Blanc
Adrien
Emmanuelle Béart
Sarah
Sami Bouajila
Mehdi
Julie Depardieu
Julie
Johan Libéreau
Manu
Lorenzo Balducci
Steve
Alain Cauchi
Shérif
Constance Dollé
Sandra
Credits
Behind the camera
- Director
- André Téchiné
- Writers
- André Téchiné, Laurent Guyot, Viviane Zingg
- Languages
- English, 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 🍿
2 / 8
WORLD
Did you know
Dialogue crosses 2 languages: English, French.
MoodPlayr · trivia#02
3 / 8
RUNTIME
Did you know
Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
MoodPlayr · trivia#03
4 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Directed by André Téchiné, shot by Julien Hirsch. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
MoodPlayr · trivia#04
5 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Original score by Philippe Sarde. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
MoodPlayr · trivia#05
6 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Editor Martine Giordano shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
MoodPlayr · trivia#06
7 / 8
CAST
Did you know
Michel Blanc and Emmanuelle Béart and Sami Bouajila carry the top of the cast.
MoodPlayr · trivia#07
8 / 8
WILD
Did you know
IMDB entry: tt0487273 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
MoodPlayr · trivia#08
Cinephile deep dive
The take
André Téchiné directs. Julien Hirsch behind the camera. Philippe Sarde scores. Martine Giordano cuts. Produced in France. Dialogue in English, French.
Trivia
Things worth knowing
- 1Released 19 years ago.
- 2Dialogue crosses 2 languages: English, French.
- 3Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
- 4Directed by André Téchiné, shot by Julien Hirsch. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
- 5Original score by Philippe Sarde. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
- 6Editor Martine Giordano shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
- 7Michel Blanc and Emmanuelle Béart and Sami Bouajila carry the top of the cast.
- 8IMDB entry: tt0487273 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
- 9Only 66 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.
- 10Classified under 13 themes, including "prostitute", "sibling relationship", "paris, france", "aids".
The technical file
- Cinematography
- Julien Hirsch
- Original score
- Philippe Sarde
- Editing
- Martine Giordano
- Production design
- Michèle Abbé-Vannier
- Costume design
- Khadija Zeggaï
- Makeup / hair
- Dominique Colladant
- Runtime
- 112 min · 1h 52m
- Aspect ratio (typical)
- 1.37:1 (Academy)
- Status
- Released
- Original language
- FR
- Rotten Tomatoes
- 86% 🍅 Fresh
- Metacritic
- 75/100
- IMDB rating
- 6.9/10 · 2,882 votes
- MPAA
- Not Rated
- US box office
- $78,440
Awards
2 wins & 5 nominations total
Also by
André Téchiné
Stills · wallpapers
Selected frames
Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.
Production companies
Who made it
France 2 Cinéma
FR
- UG
UGC Distribution
SBS Productions
FR
Key crew
- ProducerSaïd Ben Saïd
- EditorMartine Giordano
- Production DesignMichèle Abbé-Vannier
- Costume DesignKhadija Zeggaï
- Makeup ArtistDominique Colladant
- HairstylistFrédéric Souquet
- Makeup ArtistCédric Gérard
- SoundJean-Paul Mugel
Themes & keywords
What it's about, really
- prostitute
- sibling relationship
- paris, france
- aids
- marseille, france
- cruising
- sexual promiscuity
- hiv
- male homosexuality
- author
- doctor
- opera singer
- 1980s
Release history · US
When it landed
- Premiere2007-06-14· San Francisco International Lesbian and Gay Film Festival
- Theatrical (limited)2008-01-18
