''Bernie'' is a 1996 French film directed by

Albert Dupontel Albert Dupontel (; born 11 January 1964) is a French actor, film director and screenwriter. Following his father's path, he studied medicine but eventually switched to theater, disillusioned by hospital life. He started his career as a stand-u ...

Plot

It tells the story of Bernie Noël, a 29-year-old man who's been raised all his life in an orphanage in Paris' suburbs. He was found in a garbage can when he was only a few months old. His first name comes from the man who found him there (Bernie, the building's janitor) and his last name comes from the time of year when he was found (Noël, "Christmas" in French). At age 29, Bernie decides to leave the orphanage to explore a world that he knows only through television and what his friends have told him. On his own, roaming a Paris-by-night hostile environment, he goes through several madly epic adventures searching for his parents, before eventually finding them and "saving" them from an imaginary government conspiracy. This neurotic and maladjusted young man will bring mischief and mayhem in his trail, which will lead him and his loved ones to a dramatic conclusion...

Film info

* Directed by : Albert Dupontel * Story : Albert Dupontel and Gilles Laurent * Dialogues : Albert Dupontel * Production : Canal+, Contre Prod, Kasso Inc. Productions, Rézo Films, Ulysse Films * Comedy (?) * Running time: 87 min * Country: France * Sound: Dolby Digital * Language: French * Release : * November 27, 1996 (France) * January 8, 1997 ( Belgium) * Rated: PG13

Cast

: Bernie Noël * Roland Blanche: Donald Willis, Bernie's father * Lucia Sanchez: Maria *

Paul Le Person Paul Le Person (10 February 1931 in Argenteuil Argenteuil () is a commune in the northwestern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris. Argenteuil is a sub-prefecture of the Val-d'Oise department, the seat of the a ...

: Bernie, the janitor *

Hélène Vincent Hélène Vincent (born 9 September 1943) is a French actress and stage director. Career She received a César Award for Best Supporting Actress in 1989 for her role as Madame Marielle Le Quesnoy in ''Life Is a Long Quiet River'' and a nominatio ...

: Bernie's mother *

Claude Perron Claude Perron (born 23 January 1966) is a French actress. Career Perron appeared in the role of Eva (Nino's colleague) in the 2001 film ''Amélie ''Amélie'' (also known as ''Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain''; ; en, The Fabulous D ...

: Marion *

Roland Bertin Roland Bertin (born 16 November 1930) is a French stage and film actor. He has appeared in at least 100 films and television shows since 1970. Selected filmography * '' Le Petit théâtre de Jean Renoir'' (1970) (a.k.a. ''The Little Theatre of ...

: Ramonda * Catherine Samie: Granny *

Alain Libolt Alain may refer to: People * Alain (given name), common given name, including list of persons and fictional characters with the name * Alain (surname) * "Alain", a pseudonym for cartoonist Daniel Brustlein * Alain, a standard author abbreviation u ...

: Dr. Clermont * Pascal Ternisien: Edouard Clermont * Emmanuelle Bougerol: Marie-Solange Clermont * Philippe Uchan: Vallois *

Nicolas Marié Nicolas Marié is a French actor and writer. Theater Filmography Dubbing References External links * {{DEFAULTSORT:Marie, Nicolas French male film actors Living people 20th-century French male actors 21st-century Frenc ...

: The Commissioner *

Éric Elmosnino Éric Elmosnino (born 2 May 1964) is a French actor and musician. He is known internationally for portraying Serge Gainsbourg in '' Gainsbourg'', for which he won the César Award for Best Actor. He studied at the National Conservatory of Dramat ...

: the salesman *

Antoinette Moya Antoinette is a given name, that is a diminutive feminine form of Antoine and Antonia (from Latin ''Antonius''). People with the name include: Nobles * Antoinette de Maignelais, Baroness of Villequier by marriage (1434–1474), mistress of C ...

: the real-estate agent *

Michel Vuillermoz Michel Vuillermoz (born 18 December 1962) is a French actor and scriptwriter. Vuillermoz has appeared in more than 100 films and 40 plays. In 1998, he received two Molière Award: Best Male Newcomer and Best Play for ''André le Magnifique''. ...

: the transvestite * Loïc Houdré: the dealer *

Yves Pignot Yves Pignot (born 31 March 1946) is a French actor. He appeared in more than one hundred films since 1969. Filmography References External links * 1946 births Living people French male film actors {{France-actor-stub ...

: the orphanage's manager

Nominations

The film was nominated for the

César Award for Best First Feature Film The César Award for Best First Feature Film (french: César du meilleur premier film) is an award presented by the Académie des Arts et Techniques du Cinéma since 1982. It was originally named the César Award for Best Debut (César de la meil ...

at the 22nd César Awards.

References

External links

* 1996 films French drama films Films directed by Albert Dupontel 1996 drama films 1996 directorial debut films 1990s French films {{1990s-France-film-stub