I’VE LOVED YOU SO LONG

Director: Philippe Claudel
Cast: Kristin Scott Thomas, Elsa Zylberstein, Serge Hazanavicius, Laurent Grevill, Frédéric Pierrot
Run Time: 117 minutes
Country: France
Year: 2008
Language: French with English Subtitles
Rating: G (No advisory)

Reviews: www.metacritic.com/film/titles/ivelovedyousolong

Official Site: www.sonyclassics.com/ivelovedyousolong/

A Special Presentation at the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival®, I’ve Loved You So Long is the touching and emotional debut of director Philippe Claudel, who also wrote the screenplay. The film tells the profoundly moving story of two sisters rediscovering their relationship after years of separation. Reaching beyond the traditional family drama, Claudel’s film, which won the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury at the 2008 Berlin International Film Festival, crafts a sophisticated examination of forgiveness.

Immediately following her release from prison after serving a fifteen-year sentence for committing an inexplicable crime, Juliette (Kristin Scott Thomas, Gosford Park, Tell No One) reunites with her sister Léa (Elsa Zylberstein), having not seen her since childhood. Léa, who is now married with two adopted children, warmly accepts her older sister into her home, doing everything she can to reconstruct their stunted relationship. As Juliette struggles to find and maintain a job, overcome her demons and keep her dark secret under wraps from her sister’s gossipy social circle, she finds it increasingly difficult to adapt to her newfound freedom.

In what can best be described as a career-defining achievement, Scott Thomas delivers a commanding performance that underscores the dynamic relationship of the two siblings. Given its serious subject matter, the film could have remained dramatically downbeat throughout, but Claudel interweaves flashes of dry humour and moments of uplifting warm-heartedness with extremely smart dialogue, offering additional complexity to a visually stunning film.

“Rarely do head and heart coalesce to such sublime effect in film as in I’ve Loved You So Long, the debut feature by Philippe Claudel, who directs like a veteran.” – Maggie Lee, The Hollywood Reporter

 

Fall 2008 Film Schedule Sept 8 - BEFORE THE RAINS Sept 22 - WHEN DID YOU LAST SEE YOUR FATHER? Oct 6 - THE FLIGHT OF THE RED BALLOON Oct 20 - BRICK LANE Nov 10 - MY BROTHER IS AN ONLY CHILD Nov 24 - I SERVED THE KING OF ENGLAND Dec 8 - THE DUCHESS Jan 12 - HAPPY-GO-LUCKY Jan 26 - BRIDESHEAD REVISITED Feb 9 - I’VE LOVED YOU SO LONG Feb 23 - FROZEN RIVER Mar 23 - THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES Apr 6 - LAST CHANCE HARVEY Apr 20 - WENDY AND LUCY May 4 - THE CLASS May 25 - PARIS June 8 - WALTZ WITH BASHIR June 22 - CHERRY BLOSSOMS