THE FALL OF THE AMERICAN EMPIRE
Film - Spotlight Filmfest 2019

THE FALL OF THE AMERICAN EMPIRE

Directed by Denys Arcand

Info

Director: Denys Arcand
Section: Spotlight
Country: Canada
Year: 2018
PT: DER UNVERHOFFTE CHARME DES GELDES
OT: LA CHUTE DE L’EMPIRE AMÉRICAIN
Language: French
Version: Original version with German subtitles
Cast: Alexandre Landry, Maripier Morin, Rémy Girard, Louis Morissette, Pierre Curzi
18+ (no age rating)

Logline

THE FALL OF THE AMERICAN EMPIRE

Holding a Ph.D., Pierre-Paul actually deserves better — but he's simply too intelligent for money and success, he thinks, so he works for a parcel service. One day, he happens to witness a robbery gone awry. Suddenly, two bags full of money lie at his feet. Pierre-Paul seizes the opportunity, but doesn't know what to do with it. The Mafia, the tax authority, and two police officers are after him, but he's helped out, more or less, by a financial expert who's just finished a prison sentence, a banker, and an escort. Borrowing elements of social satire and film noir, Denys Arcand pokes fun at insane turbo-capitalism, completing the loose trilogy begun with THE DECLINE OF THE AMERICAN EMPIRE (1986) and THE BARBARIAN INVASIONS (2003), about various manifestations of the shallowness of our modern society.

Meet the director

THE FALL OF THE AMERICAN EMPIRE

Denys Arcand

Born in a village in Canada's French-speaking province, Quebec, in 1941, Denys Arcand became known for THE DECLINE OF THE AMERICAN EMPIRE (1986), which received the Fipresci Award in Cannes as well as an Oscar nomination for best foreign-language film. In 1989, Arcand directed JESUS OF MONTREAL, which received the Grand Prize of the Jury in Cannes and the Award of the Ecumenical Jury. In addition, this film received twelve Genie Awards, Canada's most prestigious film award, and was also nominated for an Oscar as best foreign-language film. In 2003, Arcand wrote and directed his most successful film, INVASION OF THE BARBARIANS, which received several notable awards, including an Oscar for best foreign-language film. DAYS OF DARKNESS (2007) was shown as the closing film of the competition in Cannes. In addition to his work as a filmmaker, Arcand has written various newspaper and magazine articles as well as a book. He has also created an art installation and directed an opera.

Credits

Screenplay: Denys Arcand
Director of Photography: Van Royko
Film Editor: Arthur Tarnowski
Composer: Mathieu Lussier, Louis Dufort
Production Designer: Patrice Bengle, Michèle Forest
Costume Design: Sophie Lefebvre
Sound: Martin Desmarais, Louis Gignac, Marie-Claude Gagné
Producer: Denise Robert
Production Company: Cinémaginaire Inc.
World Sales: Seville International
Distributor: MFA+ FilmDistribution e.K.