My Father Saved My Life

2001 1h 55m FR

👍

7.4

SOLID

★7.4TMDB · 8

Drama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Novelist and filmmaker Jose Giovanni turned to the remarkable true story of how his father helped him escape a date with the guillotine for this drama, which is based closely on events from his own life. During World War II, Manu (Vincent Lecoeur, as a character Giovanni modeled after himself) fought with the French Resistance, but near the end of the war he fell into a life of crime, and in 1947, 22-year-old Manu was arrested for his part in a bungled robbery that left a man dead. While Manu did not pull the fatal trigger, he refuses to say who did, since it would mean implicating his uncle, one of the few members of his family who has stood by him; Manu's brother is dead, and he turned his back on his father Joe (Bruno Cremer) years ago. Manu is sentenced to death, and while he protests his innocence, his attempts to escape from prison do little to convince anyone that he's telling the truth.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Bruno Cremer
Joe
Vincent Lecœur
Manu
Rufus
Grinval
Michelle Goddet
Emilie
Nicolas Abraham
Maître Hecquet
Maria Pitarresi
Doriane Teneraux
Eric Defosse
Manouche
Cédric Chevalme
Barthy

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: José Giovanni
Writers: José Giovanni, Bertrand Tavernier
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 / 7

ERA

Did you know

25 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 7

CRAFT

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by José Giovanni, shot by Alain Choquart. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 7

CAST

Did you know

Bruno Cremer and Vincent Lecœur and Rufus carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 7

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0231782 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 7

WILD

Did you know

Only 8 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

Cinephile deep dive

The take

José Giovanni directs. Alain Choquart behind the camera. Surghjenti scores. Produced in France. Dialogue in French.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

125 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
2Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
3Directed by José Giovanni, shot by Alain Choquart. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Surghjenti. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Bruno Cremer and Vincent Lecœur and Rufus carry the top of the cast.
6IMDB entry: tt0231782 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
7Only 8 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.