''Not Here to Be Loved'' () is a 2005

French film The cinema of France comprises the film industry and its film productions, whether made within the nation of France or by French film production companies abroad. It is the oldest and largest precursor of national cinemas in Europe, with prima ...

directed by

Stéphane Brizé Stéphane Brizé (born 18 October 1966) is a French film director, producer, screenwriter and actor. Life and career Stéphane Brizé was born on 18 October 1966 in Rennes, France. He attended a University Institutes of Technology and moved to ...

Plot

Fifty years old and divorced, Jean-Claude Delsart is an emotionally withdrawn bailiff who has taken over the family business from his father. He pays a weekly visit to the care home where this cantankerous father now lives, but they are uncomfortable occasions where the father takes pains to hide any sign of affection towards him. Jean-Claude has in turn compelled his own son Jean-Yves to join him in the business; the son is more interested in raising house-plants but does not have the courage to tell his father that he hates the work of bailiff. When a

heart murmur Heart murmurs are unique heart sounds produced when blood flows across a heart valve or blood vessel. This occurs when turbulent blood flow creates a sound loud enough to hear with a stethoscope. The sound differs from normal heart sounds by th ...

obliges Jean-Claude to take exercise, he opts for tango lessons in the studio opposite his office. There Françoise Rubion recognises in him the older son of her former nanny and chooses him as her dance partner, initially to escape the attentions of an admirer in the same class. Her reason to learn to tango is so as to be able to take part creditably in the opening dance after her forthcoming wedding. Her fiancé Thierry was meant to have joined her there but is too absorbed in the difficulty of trying to write a novel so as to escape his job as a school teacher. As the relationship between Jean-Claude and Françoise slowly blossoms, they begin to take stock of their personal situations. Jean-Claude argues with his father over his having thrown away the tennis trophies he won as a youngster and leaves in anger. Françoise becomes increasingly unhappy at being dominated by her mother and elder sister and taken for granted by Thierry. Then the jealous rival reveals that Françoise is to be married and, when she tries to explain things to Jean-Claude at his office, he accuses her of making a fool of him and asks her to leave. The death of Jean-Claude’s father brings him personal insight. Opening a locked cupboard in his room, he discovers there all the tennis trophies and newspaper cuttings that his parent pretended to have cleared out. Returning to his office, he tells Jean-Yves to leave the job he knows that he hates. Then his secretary, a spinster with only a dog to care for, confesses to Jean-Claude that she listened to his quarrel with Françoise and advises him not to make the same mistake as she had in the past and to seize his chance of happiness. He crosses the street to the dance studio and is met by the welcoming smile of Françoise.

Cast

Patrick Chesnais Patrick Chesnais (born 18 March 1947) is a French actor, film director and screenwriter. Life and career Patrick Chesnais was born in La Garenne-Colombes, Hauts-de-Seine. He was educated at the '' Lycée Pierre Corneille'' in Rouen. In 1989 ...

as Jean-Claude Delsart *

Anne Consigny Anne Consigny (; born 25 May 1963) is a French actress who has been active since 1981. She received a César Award nomination for Best Actress for her role in the film '' Not Here to Be Loved'' (2005). She is also known for her role as Claude in ...

as Françoise "Fanfan" Rubion *

Georges Wilson Georges Wilson (né Willson, ; 16 October 1921 – 3 February 2010) was a French actor and director of stage and screen. He was a significant figure in French theatre during the latter 20th-century, serving as director of the Theatre Nation ...

as Jean-Claude's father *

Lionel Abelanski Lionel Abelanski (born 22 October 1964) is a French actor. Life and career Abelanski was born in Paris, France. He has appeared in television and film roles since 1989. In 1999 he was nominated for the César Award for Most Promising Actor Cesa ...

as Thierry *

Anne Benoît Anne Benoît is a French actress. She has appeared in more than 60 film and television productions since 1981. Career Benoît was trained at the Conservatoire de Versailles, under the direction of Marcelle Tassencourt. She later attended the Ta ...

as Hélène * Cyril Couton as Jean-Yves Delsart * Olivier Claverie as Tango course mate *

Geneviève Mnich Geneviève Mnich (born 19 February 1942), is a French actress. She has appeared in 80 films since 1972. She was born in Cuffies, Aisne Aisne ( , ; ; ) is a French departments of France, department in the Hauts-de-France region of northe ...

as Françoise's mother * Hélène Alexandridis as Françoise's sister

Awards and nominations

César Awards The César Award is the national film award of France. It is delivered in the ' ceremony and was first awarded in 1976. The nominations are selected by the members of twelve categories of filmmaking professionals and supported by the French Min ...

(France) **Nominated: Best Actor – Leading Role (Patrick Chesnais) **Nominated: Best Actress – Leading Role (Anne Consigny) **Nominated: Best Actor – Supporting Role (Georges Wilson) *

European Film Awards The European Film Awards (or European Film Academy Awards) have been presented annually since 1988 by the European Film Academy to recognize excellence in European cinematic achievements. The awards are given in 19 categories, of which the mos ...

**Nominated: Best Actor (Patrick Chesnais) *

San Sebastián International Film Festival The San Sebastián International Film Festival ( SSIFF; , ) is an annual FIAPF A category film festival held in the Spain, Spanish city of Donostia, Donostia-San Sebastián in September, in the Basque Country (autonomous community), Basque Countr ...

(Spain) **Won: CEC Award for Best Film **Nominated:

Golden Seashell The Golden Shell (; ) is the highest prize given to a competing film at the San Sebastián International Film Festival. It was introduced in 1957. In 1953 and 1954, the highest prize had been called the Gran Premio. In 1955 and 1956 it was replace ...

(Stéphane Brizé) *

Pyongyang International Film Festival The Pyongyang International Film Festival is a biennial cultural exhibition held in Pyongyang, North Korea. Until 2002, the film festival was reserved to "non-aligned and other developing countries". History The event originated in 1987 as the P ...

(North Korea) **Won: Best Director (Stéphane Brizé)

References

External links

* {{Stéphane Brizé 2005 films French romantic drama films 2000s French-language films Films directed by Stéphane Brizé Tango films 2000s French films 2000s Argentine films