THE CHORUS aka LES CHORISTES

Year: 2004
USA: Miramax Films
UK: Pathe Distribution
Cast: Gerard Jugnot, François Berleand, Kad Merad, Jean-Paul Bonnaire, Marie Bunel, Paul Charieras, Carole Weiss, Philippe Du Janerand, Erick Desmarestz, Jean-Baptiste Maunier, Maxence Perrin, Gregory Gatignol, Thomas Blumenthal, Cyril Bernicot, Simon Fargeot, Theodule Carre-Cassaigne, Armen Godel, Monique Ditisheim, Steve Gadler, Fabrice Dubusset, Marielle Coubaillon, Violette Barratier, Lena Chalvon, Colette Dupanloup, Jacques Perrin, Didier Flamand
Director: Christophe Barratier
Countries: France / Switzerland / Germany
Language: French (English Subtitles)
USA & UK: 95 mins
USA Rated: PG-13 for some language/sexual references and violence
UK Certificate: 12A contains moderate sex references
USA Release Date: 14 January 2005 (Limited Release)
UK Release Date: 11 March 2005
(in French)

Synopsis

In 1949, Clement Mathieu (Gerard Jugnot), an unemployed music teacher, is hired as supervisor in a boarding school for troubled children. The particularly repressive Rachin (François Berleand), the school's director, has trouble keeping these difficult pupils in line.

By introducing them to the magic of singing, Mathieu changes their lives forever...

Director Christophe Barratier, a classical guitarist, is a graduate of the Ecole Normale de Musique in Paris and winner of several international guitar competitions. In 1991, he joined Jacques Perrin's Galatee Films where he acted as associate producer on CHILDREN OF LUMIERE (LES ENFANTS DE LUMIeRE), MICROCOSMOS, HIMALAYA and WINGED MIGRATION. In 2001, he directed his first film, a short subject starring Lambert Wilson and Carole Weiss, based on Maupassant's novella 'Les Tombales.' Broadcast on Canal+ and FR3, it was in selection at the Clermont-Ferrand Festival. Produced by Galatee Films and co-written with Philippe Lopes-Curval, LES CHORISTES is Christophe Barratier's first feature film.