Une vie meilleure

  • 110'
  • France
  • 2011
A better life beckons the young couple Yann and Nadine. In an impulse, the thirty-somethings have bought some real estate by a lake where they want to start a restaurant. He's a chef, she's a waitress; a dream comes true. But they did not keep their eyes open when they took out their loans and French catering regulations do not prove very cooperative. The project gets delayed, as a result of which Yann and Nadine sink deeper and deeper into money problems. As an extreme stopgap measure, Nadine takes a lucrative job in Canada. Yann stays behind in his mobile home and looks after Nadine's nine-year-old son Slimane. When Nadine suddenly doesn’t get in touch anymore, Yann is on his own.
Kahn, who had primarily made thrillers in the past, now presents the despair and nerve-wracking situation of the protagonists cleverly and briskly, while skilfully avoiding the pitfalls of sentiment. The powerful acting achievements, especially of Guillaume Canet as Yann, turn A Better Life into a beautiful and realistic drama.


  • 110'
  • France
  • 2011
Director
Cédric Kahn
Countries of production
France, Canada
Year
2011
Festival Edition
IFFR 2012
Length
110'
Medium
DCP
International title
A Better Life
Languages
French, English
Producers
Kristina Larsen, Denise Robert, Gilles Sandoz, Daniel Louis
Production Companies
Les Films du Lendemain, Cinémaginaire Inc., Maïa Films
Sales
Wild Bunch
Screenplay
Cédric Kahn, Catherine Paille
Cinematography
Pascal Marti
Editor
Simon Jacquet
Sound Design
Sylvain Bellemare
Music
Akido
Cast
Guillaume Canet, Leila Bekhti
Local Distributor
De Filmfreak
Website
http://wildbunch.biz/movie/a-better-life
Director
Cédric Kahn
Countries of production
France, Canada
Year
2011
Festival Edition
IFFR 2012
Length
110'
Medium
DCP
International title
A Better Life
Languages
French, English
Producers
Kristina Larsen, Denise Robert, Gilles Sandoz, Daniel Louis
Production Companies
Les Films du Lendemain, Cinémaginaire Inc., Maïa Films
Sales
Wild Bunch
Screenplay
Cédric Kahn, Catherine Paille
Cinematography
Pascal Marti
Editor
Simon Jacquet
Sound Design
Sylvain Bellemare
Music
Akido
Cast
Guillaume Canet, Leila Bekhti
Local Distributor
De Filmfreak
Website
http://wildbunch.biz/movie/a-better-life