SUMMER HOURS aka L'HEURE D'ETE

Year: 2008
UK: Artificial Eye
Cast: Juliette Binoche, Charles Berling, Jeremie Renier, Edith Scob, Dominique Reymond, Valerie Bonneton, Isabelle Sadoyan, Kyle Eastwood, Alice de Lencquesaing, Emile Berling, Jean-Baptiste Malartre, Gilles Arbona, Eric Elmosnino, Marc Voinchet, Sara Martins, Christian Lucas, Philippe Paimblanc, Luc Bricault, Arnaud Azoulay, Marine Decroix, Lena Burger, François-Marie Banier, Philippe Thiebaut, Arnaud Brejon de la Lavergnee
Director: Olivier Assayas
Country: France
Language: French (English subtitles)
UK: 103 mins
UK Certificate: 12A contains soft drugs use
UK Release Date: 18 July 2008 (Limited Release)

Synopsis

The divergent paths of three 40-something siblings collide when their mother, heiress to her uncle's exceptional 19th century art collection, dies suddenly. Left to come to terms with themselves and their differences, Adrienne (Juliette Binoche) a successful New York designer, Frederic (Charles Berling) an economist and university professor in Paris and Jeremie (Jeremie Renier) a dynamic businessman in China, confront the end of childhood, their shared memories, background and unique vision of the future.

Directed by Olivier Assayas whose previous films include IRMA VEP and CLEAN.

From actress Juliette Binoche on SUMMER HOURS

"When I read the script, I liked the idea of exploring family relationships and looking at the question of heritage. What do we inherit? What do we cling to in this final separation? What matters to us: the character we inherit, material things, places we grew up in, family relationships? In the end I had the impression that Adrienne inherits the family's creative heritage (she is a well-known designer). At the same time, her mother's death leaves her in an abyss that isolates her from her brothers."