Directed by:
Pascale PouzadouxComposer:
Eric NeveuxCast:
Marthe Villalonga, Sandrine Bonnaire, Antoine Duléry, Gilles Cohen, Fabrice Colson, Sabine Pakora, Emmanuelle Galabru, Charles Gérard, Xavier Alcan (more)Plots(1)
Madeleine is determined to keep her family free from the burden of unnecessarily prolonging her life. But such a notion comes as a shock to her daughter, Dianne, and son, Pierre. Madeleine's stubbornness to maintain her dignity causes fear and anger among her family, but finally acceptance and life's last lesson guide them all.
Old age and death are a part of life, but they've become very sensitive topics in modern society. Looking at a 92-year-old mother who wants to have control over her own death and the children who oppose her raises a lot of questions about how one should be able to conclude their life. When the body no longer conforms or is unable to carry out the necessary functions for a fully enjoyable life, shouldn't one be permitted to die with dignity? The way in which the film poses this question will certainly garner sympathy from the audience, but arriving at a "correct" answer is still a challenging endeavor. Entertaining and topical, the concord between the two actresses playing the mother and the daughter is especially touching.
(Busan International Film Festival)
Cast
Marthe Villalonga
France
Best movies:
To Each His Hell (1977)
Jury of One (1974)
Il n'y a pas de fumée sans feu (1973)
Sandrine Bonnaire
France
Best movies:
East/West (1999)
Happening (2021)
La Cérémonie (1995)
Antoine Duléry
France
Best movies:
Les Misérables (1995)
Cyrano, My Love (2018)
Jean-Philippe (2006)
Gilles Cohen
Best movies:
A Prophet (2009)
Chaos (2001)
Kings & Queen (2004)
Fabrice Colson
Switzerland
Best movies:
The Final Lesson (2015)
Perfumes (2020)
How Mom Turned to Armed Robbery (2019) (TV movie)
Sabine Pakora
Best movies:
Tales of the Night (2011)
Samba (2014)
Aya de Yopougon (2013)
Emmanuelle Galabru
Best movies:
The Final Lesson (2015)
Nicolas Le Floch (2008) (series)
Alex Hugo (2014) (series)
Charles Gérard
Ottoman Empire
Best movies:
Animal (1977)
Happy New Year (1973)
Monsieur Vincent (1947)
Xavier Alcan
Best movies:
Chinese Puzzle (2013)
Jappeloup (2013)
The Final Lesson (2015)
Roby Schinasi
Best movies:
Dalida (2016)
Behind the Candelabra (2013) (TV movie)
Some Like It Rare (2021)
Grégoire Montana
Best movies:
The Final Lesson (2015)
Things to Come (2016)
Juliane Lepoureau
Best movies:
The Final Lesson (2015)
Fanny’s Journey (2016)
Family is Family (2018)
Jonas Dinal
France
Best movies:
The Final Lesson (2015)
Heal the Living (2016)
The Lookout (2012)
Sevane Lepoureau
Best movies:
The Final Lesson (2015)