Indochine (film)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Indochine
Directed by Régis Wargnier
Written by Erik Orsenna
Louis Gardel
Starring Catherine Deneuve
Vincent Perez
Release date(s) Flag of France April 15, 1992
Flag of United States 23 December 1992
Flag of Canada 12 February 1993
Running time 148 min.
Language French/Vietnamese
IMDb profile

Indochine is an 1992 Academy Award winning French film that tells the story of a young Indochinese woman named Camille. The title refers to the colony of French Indochina, of which modern Vietnam was once a part. The screenplay was written by Erik Orsenna, Louis Gardel, Catherine Cohen and Régis Wargnier. It was directed by Wargnier. It stars Catherine Deneuve, Vincent Perez, Linh Dan Pham, Jean Yanne and Dominique Blanc.

[edit] Synopsis

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Camille, from an Annamese aristocratic family, is adopted by Eliane Devries after her parents died. Madame Devries owns a rubber plantation. Madame Devries meets and has an affair with a French Marine officer Jean-Baptiste. In an accident, a French police officer almost kills Camille, and she is rescued by Jean-Baptiste and she too falls in love with him. Madame Devries has Jean-Baptiste sent away to protect Camille from being hurt.

Camille goes through with an arranged marriage to Tanh, a young man who was studying in France and supports the Communists. After one day of marriage, Tahn allows Camille to leave and look for Jean-Baptiste up north. Camille travels with a Vietnamese family, and reaches the island where Jean-Baptiste is. The island is being used as a slave market, and Camille ends up shooting a French officer when Jean-Baptiste tries to take her away.

Camille and Jean-Baptiste sail away to a secret cave and are rescued by the Communists. Tahn arranges to smuggle the two lovers into China with a Communist theatre troupe. One day when baptizing their new son Etienne alone, Jean-Baptiste and Etienne are captured by the French. Madame Devries takes Etienne, but Jean-Baptiste is murdered by French agents because he knows too much. Camille is captured and sent to prison where she too becomes a Communist. After years, Camille is released and joins the Communist Party.

Madame Devries and Etienne return to France, where Etienne has a chance to meet his mother while she is in Switzerland at the Geneva Conference. Etienne does not meet Camille because he says Madame Devries is his mother because she has raised him.

[edit] Awards

The movie won the Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film and Catherine Deneuve received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress. It also won the Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Film.


Preceded by
Mediterraneo
Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film
1992
Succeeded by
Belle Époque
Preceded by
Europa Europa
Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film
1993
Succeeded by
Farewell My Concubine