Don't Tell Me the Boy Was Mad
| Don't Tell Me the Boy Was Mad | |
|---|---|
Film poster | |
| Directed by | Robert Guédiguian |
| Written by | Robert Guédiguian Gilles Taurand |
| Produced by | Robert Guédiguian |
| Starring | Simon Abkarian Ariane Ascaride Grégoire Leprince-Ringuet Syrus Shahidi |
| Cinematography | Pierre Milon |
| Edited by | Bernard Sasia |
| Music by | Alexandre Desplat |
Production companies | Agat Films & Cie France 3 Cinéma |
| Distributed by | Diaphana Distribution |
Release dates |
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Running time | 134 minutes |
| Country | France |
| Language | French |
| Budget | $6.4 million |
| Box office | $912.000[1] |
Don't Tell Me the Boy Was Mad (French title: Une histoire de fou) is a 2015 French drama film co-written, produced and directed by Robert Guédiguian. The film is based on the true story of a Spanish journalist, José Antonio Gurriarán, who was left in a semi-paralyzed state after a bomb attack by the Armenian Secret Army for the Liberation of Armenia in Madrid in 1981. He then recounted his experiences in an autobiographical novel La Bomba, which serves as the source material for the film.[2] The film was screened in the Special Screenings section at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival.[3]
Cast
- Simon Abkarian as Hovannès
- Ariane Ascaride as Anouch
- Grégoire Leprince-Ringuet as Gilles
- Syrus Shahidi as Aram
- Razane Jammal as Anahit
- Robinson Stévenin as Soghomon Tehlirian
- Siro Fazilian as Arsinée
- Amir Abou El Kacem as Vahé
- Rania Mellouli as Nounée
- Hrayr Kalemkerian as Haïk
- Rodney Haddad as Vrej
- Lola Naymark as Valérie
- Serge Avedikian as Armenak
- Omar Mikati as Narguiz
Plot
Berlin - 1921. Tehlirian, who survived the 1915 Armenian genocide, guns down Talaat Pacha, one of those implicated. His court case and acquital would turn out to be a key moment in the struggle for recognition of the crime which had been denied by the Turkish government.
In the 1970s, Hovannès et Anouch are making a living from their small grocery shop in Marseille. Their son Aram leaves home to join militants based in Paris who are committed to using violent ends to achieve their ends. Aram and Anahit are chosen to assassiante the Turkish ambassador in France. Gilles, an innocent passer-by, loses the use of both legs in the attack. Aram and Anahit flee to Beirut for an ASALA training camp run by Vrej. Anouch is horrified by events and visits Gilles in hospital who is unaware of the history of Armenians. The fanaticism of Vrej causes split and Aram leaves while Anahit remains as a supporter of Vrej. Anouch convinces Aram to meet Gilles in Beirut. The two men are reconciled, but Haïk is planning to shoot Aram. Over time Gilles and Anouch keep in touch and he accompanies her to Armenia to scatter the ashes of her mother.
References
- ^ "Une Histoire de fou (2015) - JPBox-Office".
- ^ "'Don't Tell Me the Boy Was Mad' ('Une Histoire de fou'): Cannes Review". The Hollywood Reporter. 20 May 2015.
- ^ "Cannes Film Festival Adds 9 Titles to Official Selection Lineup". TheWrap. 23 April 2015. Retrieved 26 April 2015.