My Father Saved My Life
6.8
Novelist and filmmaker Jose Giovanni turned to the remarkable true story of how his father helped him escape a date with the guillotine for this drama, which is based closely on events from his own life. During World War II, Manu (Vincent Lecoeur, as a character Giovanni modeled after himself) fought with the French Resistance, but near the end of the war he fell into a life of crime, and in 1947, 22-year-old Manu was arrested for his part in a bungled robbery that left a man dead. While Manu did not pull the fatal trigger, he refuses to say who did, since it would mean implicating his uncle, one of the few members of his family who has stood by him; Manu's brother is dead, and he turned his back on his father Joe (Bruno Cremer) years ago. Manu is sentenced to death, and while he protests his innocence, his attempts to escape from prison do little to convince anyone that he's telling the truth.
Where to watch
Not streaming anywhere
Not on any streaming service in United States, and not available to rent.
Your rating
Your review
Cast
21 people
Bruno Cremer
Joe
Known for
Sorcerer
Under the Sand
Vincent Lecœur
Manu
Known for
Deep in the Woods
José Giovanni
Christine Gozlan
Rufus
Grinval
Known for
Amélie
HIP - High Intellectual Potential
Alain Sarde
Known for
Fresh Bait
Michelle Goddet
Emilie
Known for
Mr. Morgan's Last Love
Guilty
Bertrand Tavernier
Known for
A Sunday in the Country
Nicolas Abraham
Maître Hecquet
Known for
Liaison
A Better Life
Maria Pitarresi
Doriane Teneraux
Eric Defosse
Manouche
Known for
Half a Chance
The Pimp
Cédric Chevalme
Barthy
Known for
Les Misérables
HIP - High Intellectual Potential
José Giovanni Director · Bertrand Tavernier Writer Surghjenti Composer
United States release March 31, 2001 · Produced in France · Production France 3 Cinéma, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Cinéma
Production
Ciné Valse
Production
France 3 Cinéma
Production
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Cinéma
Production
StudioCanal
Production
Centre Européen Cinématographique Rhône-Alpes
Production
Rhône-Alpes Cinéma
Production
France
Produced in
Languages
Original title
Mon père, il m'a sauvé la vie
Original language
French
Spoken on screen
French
Release dates
United States · March 31, 2001
VCU French Film Festival
France · April 25, 2001
Theatrical
Belgium
May 16, 2001
Japan
June 29, 2002 · Tokyo
Spain
December 27, 2002
More from José Giovanni
Other films they directed, best known first.
If you liked My Father Saved My Life
Picks that share its genres, themes, cast and crew.
Some details come from TheTVDB.