''When I Was a Singer'' (french: Quand j'étais chanteur) is a 2006 French musical romantic drama film starring Gérard Depardieu and Cécile de France. It was written and directed by Xavier Giannoli.

Plot

Alain Moreau sings for one of the few remaining dance-bands in Clermont-Ferrand. Though something of an idol amongst his female audience he has a melancholic awareness of the slow disappearance of that audience and of his advancing years. He is completely knocked off balance when he meets strikingly attractive and much younger businesswoman Marion. She seems distant and apparently otherwise involved but soon shows quiet signs of reciprocating his interest. A brief dalliance turns into something much more complicated and he starts to employ - indeed monopolise - her services as an estate agent by announcing he suddenly must move house.

Cast

* Gérard Depardieu as Alain Moreau * Cécile De France as Marion * Mathieu Amalric as Bruno * Christine Citti as Michèle * Patrick Pineau as Daniel * Alain Chanone as Philippe Mariani * Christophe (singer), Christophe as Himself * Jean-Pierre Gos as The mayor

Awards and nominations

*2006 Cannes Film Festival, Cannes Film Festival (France) **Nominated: Golden Palm (Xavier Giannoli) *César Awards (France) **Won: César Award for Best Sound, Best Sound (Gabriel Hafner and François Musy) **Nominated: César Award for Best Actor, Best Actor – Leading Role (Gérard Depardieu) **Nominated: César Award for Best Actress, Best Actress – Leading Role (Cécile De France) **Nominated: César Award for Best Supporting Actress, Best Actress – Supporting Role (Christine Citti) **Nominated: César Award for Best Editing, Best Editing (Martine Giordano) **Nominated: César Award for Best Film, Best Film **Nominated: César Award for Best Writing, Best Writing – Original (Xavier Giannoli)

Alternative titles

''Quand j'étais chanteur'' was released in the United Kingdom under the title ''The Singer''.

References

External links

* * 2006 films French romantic drama films 2000s French-language films Films directed by Xavier Giannoli 2006 romantic drama films 2000s musical drama films Films featuring a Best Actor Lumières Award-winning performance Films scored by Alexandre Desplat 2000s romantic musical films 2000s French films {{romantic-musical-film-stub