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Transnational Learning Network

 Le fabuleux destin d’Amélie Poulain by Jean-Pierre Jeunet ( who directed Alien 4), known in Great Britain and America as Amélie from Montmartre, was certainly one of the most famous French films.

As remote as possible from the action film which is a success, Amélie from Montmartre tells the story of a girl who wants to bring happiness to the others. Thus, she helps Georgette, who works with her in a café to find love; she mocks a grocer who always makes fun of his disabled apprentice, Lucien, and she encourages her father, sick after his wife’s death, to travel. Finally, bringing a photo album to a man who has forgotten it on the pavement, she finds love.

The story, reported with humour, is touching and relaxing.

Besides the mirth to see a French movie(it’s rare) becoming internationally known, this success made the world discover some actors already famous in France: Matthieu Kassovitz as Nino Quicampoix, Isabelle Nanty as Georgette and Jamel Debbouze as Lucien. More, the movie introduced Audrey Tautou, the young actress who played Amélie’s part to the public when nobody knew her, even in France.

Released in April 25, 2001 in France, the film was nominated for the Festival of Cannes on March the first, 2002 with Audrey Tautou for the best actress, the best film, the best director (J-P Jeunet), the best second actors (J. Debbouze and Rufus- Amélie’s father), the best second actress (I. Nanty), the best  script (Ian Tiersen), the best film scenery (Aline Bonetto), the best photography (Bruno Delbrunnel), the best costumes (Madeline Fontaine) and the best sound (Jean Umansky, Gerard Hardy, Vincent Anardi).

Finally, it was rewarded by 4 Caesars on March the fifth, 2002: the best film, the best director the best film set, the best music.

In the USA, it was the most nominated French film for the Oscars: for the best foreign film, the best original script, the best artistic direction, the best photography and the best sound.

French people weren’t alone to think that the film deserved rewards because it had 2 million lookers-on in the United Kingdom, in the USA and Germany.

For people magazines, Audrey Tautou was the girl who was dressed in the worst way, which doesn’t affect her talent!

Viviana  and Linda