Au Revoir les Enfants
Au revoir les enfants tells a heartbreaking story of friendship and devastating loss concerning two boys living in Nazi-occupied France. At a provincial Catholic boarding school, the precocious youths enjoy true camaraderie—until a secret is revealed. Based on events from writer-director Malle’s own childhood, the film is a subtle, precisely observed tale of courage, cowardice, and tragic awakening.
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Cast
35 people
Gaspard Manesse
Julien Quentin
Also in
Comme il vient
Saint Louis Blues
Raphael Fejtö
Jean Bonnet
Francine Racette
Mrs. Quentin
Known for
Four Flies on Grey Velvet
Mr. Klein
Stanislas Carré de Malberg
François Quentin
Known for
A Heart in Winter
Philippe Morier-Genoud
Father Jean
Known for
Cyrano de Bergerac
Asterix: The Mansions of the Gods
François Berléand
Father Michel
Known for
The Transporter
The Chorus
François Négret
Joseph
Known for
Les Misérables
Sound and Fury
Peter Fitz
Muller
Known for
Werckmeister Harmonies
23
Pascal Rivet
Boulanger
Richard Leboeuf
Sagard
No other roles listed
Xavier Legrand
Babinot
Known for
Mortel
Regular Lovers
Arnaud Henriet
Negus
Known for
Tomorrow Is Ours
Polisse
Louis Malle Director · Renato Berta Cinematographer Emmanuelle Castro Editor
Worldwide gross $4.5M · Budget $3M · United States release October 7, 1987
Box office
Budget
$3,000,000
Worldwide gross
$4,542,825
Gross vs. budget
1.5×
Production
Nouvelles Éditions de Films
Production
Stella Film
Production
N.E.F. Filmproduktion
Production
MK2 Productions
Production
Centre national du cinéma et de l’image animée
Production
Images Investissements
Production
mk2 Films
Production
N.E.F. Filmproduktion und Vertriebs (I)
Production
RAI – Radiotelevisione italiana
Production
Sofica Créations
Production
Soficas Investimages
Production
Stella Films
Production
Germany · France · Italy
Produced in
Le nouveau
Working title
Languages
Original language
French
Spoken on screen
English · French · German · Greek · Latin
Release dates
Italy · August 31, 1987
Premiere · Venice Film Festival
France · October 7, 1987
Theatrical
United States · October 7, 1987
Theatrical
United States
February 12, 1988 · Theatrical
Argentina
March 10, 1988 · Theatrical
Australia
May 12, 1988 · Theatrical
Belgium
December 9, 1987 · Theatrical · (Gent)
Brazil
January 1, 2000 · Physical · IMDB
Denmark
November 18, 1988 · Theatrical
August 13, 2005 · Theatrical · (Buster Children's Film Festival)
Estonia
March 2, 2005 · Theatrical · (Manifesto Film Week)
Finland
November 11, 1988 · Theatrical
France
November 21, 2025 · Digital · France•tv
November 21, 2025 · TV · France•5
Germany
November 5, 1987 · Theatrical · West Germany
Greece
September 15, 2022 · Theatrical
Hong Kong SAR China
December 28, 2004 · Theatrical · (Hong Kong Jewish Film Festival)
Italy
December 23, 1987 · Theatrical
Japan
December 1, 1988 · Theatrical
Netherlands
April 7, 1988 · Theatrical
May 6, 2007 · TV · Nederland 2
November 24, 2009 · Physical · DVD
Norway
December 25, 1987 · Theatrical
Portugal
January 13, 1989 · Theatrical
Russia
February 3, 1990 · Theatrical
Singapore
April 3, 1991 · Theatrical · (Singapore International Film Festival)
November 4, 2005 · TV · (TV premiere)
South Korea
December 24, 1989 · Theatrical
December 24, 2008 · Theatrical · Re-release
Spain
January 1, 1989 · Theatrical
March 14, 2016 · Limited theatrical · (Madrid) (re-release) (subtitled version)
March 17, 2016 · Limited theatrical · (Barcelona) (re-release) (subtitled version)
Sweden
February 5, 1988 · Theatrical
Türkiye
January 18, 2007 · Theatrical · (SineTek Avrupa)
United Kingdom
January 30, 2015 · Theatrical · (re-release)
Uruguay
May 5, 1988 · Theatrical
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Some details come from TheTVDB.