THE SEA WALL
aka UN BARRAGE CONTRE LE PACIFIQUE

Year: 2008
UK: Axiom Films
Cast: Isabelle Huppert, Gaspard Ullie, Astrid Berges-Frisbey, Randa Douc, Stephane Rideau, Lucy Harrison, Doeun Thenn Nan, Solida Chorn, Ingrid Mareski, Louis Arsac
Director: Rithy Panh
Countries: France / Cambodia / Belgium
Language: French (English subtitles)
UK: 115 mins
UK Certificate: 12A contains infrequent strong language, a gory image, moderate sex and nudity
UK Release Date: 20 November 2009 (Limited Release)
UK Distributor

Synopsis

Director Rithy Panh's (S-21, RICE PEOPLE) period epic is set in French colonial Indochine. This highly successful adaptation of Marguerite Duras' acclaimed and semi-autobiographical novel "Un Barrage Contre le Pacifique" ("The Sea Wall"), features a leading performance by BAFTA Award Winner and recipient of the European Film Academy's 2009 Achievement in World Cinema, Isabelle Huppert.

When a mother (Isabelle Huppert) is deceived into investing all of her savings in worthless, regularly flooded farmland that is unable to support crops she embarks on a life changing experience. As the land is perilously close to the ocean, she fights both the colonial bureaucrats and nature itself, and by enlisting the help of the local villagers, starts building a dam against the sea to secure the future of both her family and the local community.

THE SEA WALL tells the compelling story of one mother's fight to protect her family - Joseph (Gaspard Ulliel, THE VINTER'S LUCK, HANNIBAL RISING, A VERY LONG ENGAGEMENT) and Suzanne (Astrid Berges-Frisbey) from destitution at the hands of a corrupt administration.