Madame Rosa
Madame Rosa lives in a sixth-floor walkup in the Pigalle; she's a retired prostitute, Jewish and an Auschwitz survivor, a foster mom to children of other prostitutes. Momo is the oldest and her favorite, an Algerian lad whom she raises as a Muslim. He asks about his parents; she answers evasively. As she ages and takes fewer children, Momo must do more for her; as money is tight, he tries to earn pennies on the street with a puppet. He's a beautiful man-child, and Madame Rosa makes him promise never to sell himself or become a pimp. A film editor, Nadine, befriends him, and his father appears as well. Madame Rosa reaches her last days in fear of hospitals, and Momo must act.
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Cast
17 people
Simone Signoret
Madame Rosa
Known for
Diabolique
Casque d'Or
Romain Gary
novel
Also in
Backfire
The Road to Corinth
Michal Bat-Adam
Nadine
Also in
I Love You Rosa
Moments
Gabriel Jabbour
M. Hamil
Known for
Three Men and a Cradle
Dear Inspector
Mohamed Zinet
Kadir Youssef
Known for
The Common Man
The Kick of Sirocco
Costa-Gavras
Le docteur Ramon
Known for
The Stupids
Nadia Samir
Also in
Bab El Oued City
Pervertissima
Samy Ben-Youb
Momo
Bernard Lajarrige
Louis Charmette - un retraité SNCF
Known for
La Traversée de Paris
Les Dames du bois de Boulogne
Geneviève Fontanel
Maryse
Known for
The Discord
The Man Who Loved Women
Renata Flores
Known for
Don't Mess with the Angel
Triumph of Love
Elisabeth Margoni
Known for
The Professional
The Visitors II: The Corridors of Time
Moshé Mizrahi Director · Romain Gary Author Philippe Sarde Composer
United States release March 19, 1978 · Produced in France · Languages French, German
Production
France
Produced in
Languages
Original title
La Vie devant soi
Original language
French
Spoken on screen
French · German
Release dates
France · November 2, 1977
Theatrical
United States · March 19, 1978
Theatrical
Germany
July 17, 1981 · Theatrical
United Kingdom
May 1, 1979 · Theatrical · (Rated AA)
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Some details come from TheTVDB.