The Savage State
5.8
L'Etat Sauvage is based on the novel by Georges Conchon which won the highly esteemed Prix de Goncourt. The story chronicles the mindless racism of both the departing French colonial overlords and the emergent black Africans in a newly emerging African state. Laurence (Marie-Christine Barrault) suffers the outrage of her white acquaintances, including her former lover Gravenoir (Claude Brasseur) and her ex-husband Avit (Jacques Dutronc), for her affair with Patrice Doumbe (Doura Mane), an official in the new government. He in turn is ridiculed by his fellow cabinet ministers for stepping out with a white woman. The vilification escalates to such a point that Patrice is brutally murdered, and Laurence barely escapes the country alive, with the help of her ex-husband Avit.
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Cast
25 people
Michel Piccoli
Orlaville
Known for
We Have a Pope
Contempt
Marie-Christine Barrault
Laurence Laurençon
Known for
Fiasco
My Night at Maud's
Claude Brasseur
Gravenoire
Known for
The Party
The Student and Mister Henri
Jacques Dutronc
Avit
Known for
Van Gogh
Nightcap
Doura Mané
Patrice Doumbe
Also in
Bako, the Other Shore
Baaron
Modimbo
Also in
The Professional
Descent Into Hell
Umban Gomez de Kset
Kotoko
Also in
Descent Into Hell
Saint Louis Blues
Jean-Baptiste Tiémélé
Gohanda
Also in
Descent Into Hell
Soleil O
Rüdiger Vogler
Tristan
Known for
Alice in the Cities
OSS 117: Lost in Rio
Peter Bachelier
Renard
No other roles listed
Philippe Brizard
Paul
Known for
The Cabbage Soup
The Pariah
Pierre Walker
Swiss Minister
Also in
The Middle of the World
The Madman
Francis Girod Director · Georges Conchon Writer Pierre Jansen Composer
United States release January 26, 1990 · Produced in France, Germany · Production Gaumont, Films 66
Production
Stella Films
Production
Gaumont
Production
Films 66
Production
Stella Film
Production
France · Germany
Produced in
Languages
Original title
L'État sauvage
Original language
French
Spoken on screen
French
Release dates
France · April 18, 1978
Theatrical
United States · January 26, 1990
Theatrical
Finland
April 13, 1979 · Theatrical
Germany
March 30, 1979 · Theatrical · West Germany
Portugal
February 6, 1982 · Theatrical
Türkiye
February 1, 1980 · Theatrical
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