Congorama (2006)

Director:

Philippe Falardeau

Writer:

Philippe Falardeau (writer)

Release Date:

17 January 2007 (Belgium)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Plot:

An eccentric Belgian inventor travels to Québec to search for his family, which uncovers a secret history between two seemingly unrelated people.

Plot Keywords:

Inventor | Adoption | Family Secret | Canada | One Word Title

Awards:

5 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Olivier Gourmet	...	Michel Roy
Paul Ahmarani	...	Louis Legros
Jean-Pierre Cassel	...	Hervé Roy
Claudia Tagbo	...	Alice Roy
Gabriel Arcand	...	Priest
Lorraine Pintal	...	Lucie
Arnaud Mouithys	...	Jules Roy
Guy Pion	...	Germain Collignon
Janine Sutto	...	Sister Lafrance
Marie Brassard	...	Madeleine Longsdale
Henri Chassé	...	Energy Minister
Jules Philip	...	Man in Alcove
Mireille Bailly	...	Lawyer
Carlo Ferrante	...	TV Host
Jean-Luc Couchard	...	Journalist
Brigitte Poupart	...	Customs Officer
Frédéric Dompierre	...	Flight Attendant
Olivia Le Clercq	...	Tennis Coach
Richard Kistabish	...	Robert
Carmen Blais	...	Country Host
Jacques Neefs	...	Ophtalmologist
Benoît Rousseau	...	Tow Truck Driver
Geoffrey Gaquere	...	Doctor
Jacques Hébert	...	Man at the Minister's Office
Sylvain Scott	...	Police Inspector
Giuseppe Venturelli	...	Sylvio Legros
Aaron MacDevitt	...	Amerindian
Ange Mouithys	...	Congolese Narrator (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
John Canoe	...	Diamond Mine Worker

Directed by
Philippe Falardeau

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Philippe Falardeau		writer

Produced by
Luc Déry	....	producer
Frédéric Joudiau	....	associate co-producer
Kim McCraw	....	producer
Joseph Rouschop	....	co-producer
Emmanuel Ryz	....	associate co-producer
Eric Tavitian	....	co-producer
Sylvie Trudelle	....	line producer
Arlette Zylberberg	....	associate co-producer

Original Music by
Jarby McCoy

Cinematography by
André Turpin

Film Editing by
Frédérique Broos

Casting by
Emmanuelle Beaugrand-Champagne
Ariane Corbiau

Production Design by
Jean Babin

Art Direction by
Jean Babin

Set Decoration by
Paul Rouschop		(decorator)

Costume Design by
Sophie Lefebvre

Makeup Department
Fabienne Gervais	....	key makeup artist: Canada
Christophe Giraud	....	makeup artist: Canada
Bunny Hamelin	....	additional hair stylist: Canada
Marie-Anne Hum	....	key makeup artist: Belgium
Daniel Jacob	....	key hair stylist: Canada
Sophie Lardinois	....	additional makeup artist: Belgium
Manon Paquet	....	hair stylist: Canada
Frank Van Wolleghem	....	key hair stylist: Belgium

Production Management
Paul Bogaty	....	unit manager
Erik Daniel	....	post-production supervisor
Tom Heene	....	production manager: Belgium
Philippe Montel	....	unit manager
Philippe Toussaint	....	unit manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Bruno Bazin	....	first assistant director
Marielou Bélisle-Pierre	....	additional third assistant director: Canada
Anabelle Berkani	....	third assistant director: Canada
Anissa Harvey	....	additional third assistant director: Canada
Laurence Mercier	....	second assistant director: Canada
Caroline Tambour	....	second assistant director: Belgium
Tanya van Blokland	....	additional third assistant director: Canada

Art Department
Didier Berens	....	scenic painter
Michel Bouchard	....	art coordinator
Sylvain Brien	....	painter
Walter Byrns	....	scenic technician
André Charlebois	....	props master: Canada
Virginie Defauwes	....	props master: Belgium
Bernard Devillers	....	graphic designer
Thomas Gollas	....	set builder
Bruno Lahaye	....	props buyer
Michel R. Lambert	....	scenic technician
Christophe Louboutin	....	additional scenic technician
Marco Rancourt	....	additional scenic technician
Chantal René	....	scenic painter
Daniel Renzoni	....	graphic designer
René Robitaille	....	additional scenic technician
Bénédicte Sarlet	....	props assistant
Ève Turcotte	....	assistant props buyer

Sound Department
Sylvain Bellemare	....	sound designer
Laurent Benaïm	....	sound
Daniel Bisson	....	foley recordist
Rainier Buidin	....	adr assistant
Dominique Dalmasso	....	sound mixer
Jean-Charles Desjardins	....	adr sound recordist: Canada
Toni Di Rocco	....	assistant sound recordist
Edith Labbe	....	assistant foley artist
Stéphane Le Dall	....	boom operator
Simon Meilleur	....	foley artist
Claire Pochon	....	dialogue editor
Gérard Rousseau	....	adr sound recordist: Belgium

Special Effects by
Jean-François Aubin	....	special effects technician
Jean Letendre	....	special effects technician
Guillaume Murray	....	special effects supervisor
Christian Rivest	....	special effects technician

Visual Effects by
Benoit Brière	....	visual effects supervisor
Ara Khanikian	....	Inferno artist: Buzz Image Group
Francois Metivier	....	compositor

Stunts
Jean Frenette	....	stunt coordinator
François Gauthier	....	stunt double: Louis
Patrick Kerton	....	stunts
Stéphane Lefebvre	....	stunt driver

Camera and Electrical Department
Bertrand Calmeau	....	additional still photographer
Dimitri Doulkeridis	....	grip
François Jaros	....	video assist operator
Ronald Knudsen	....	assistant camera
Jean-François Roqueplo	....	grip

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Mylène Fraszczak	....	wardrobe

Editorial Department
Stéfanie Guadagnino	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Thierry Tirtiaux	....	music mixer

Other crew
Aurore Benoît	....	location scout
Valérie Binette	....	production assistant
Isabelle Duvoisin	....	press attaché: France
Claude Girard	....	attorney
Élaine Hébert	....	assistant to producer
Bill Hong	....	operator: camera car/insert car
Jérôme Jouneaux	....	press attaché: France
Hélène Lambotte	....	production assistant
Nine Petsilas	....	production assistant
Matthieu Rey	....	press attaché: France
Marylène Samson	....	production assistant
Cynthia Turcotte	....	production secretary

Production Companies

• micro_scope
• Tarantula (co-production)
• Tarantula (co-production)
• Société de Développement des Entreprises Culturelles (SODEC) (participation)
• Téléfilm Canada (participation)
• Radio Télévision Belge Francophone (RTBF) (participation)
• Wallimage (participation)
• Centre National de la Cinématographie (CNC) (with the support of)
• Centre du Cinéma et de l'Audiovisuel et des Télédistributeurs Wallons (support)
• Crédit d'Impôt pour la Production Cinématographique ou Magnétoscopique Canadienne (support)
• Fast Forward Productions (support)
• Harold Greenberg Fund, The (support)
• Mini-Traité Franco-Canadien (support)
• Radio Canada Télévision (support)
• Super Écran (support)

Distributors

• Benelux Film Distribution (2007) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Christal Films (2006) (Canada) (theatrical)
• U.G.C. PH (2007) (France) (theatrical)
• Dutch FilmWorks (DFW) (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Laptv (2009) (Argentina) (TV)

Other Companies

• Bons Petits Plats  catering
• Cinepool  grip and lighting equipment
• Dexia  bank
• LD Catering  catering
• On Set Stunts  stunt services

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

Canada | Belgium | France

Language:

French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Netherlands:6 | Argentina:13

Filming Locations:

Brussels, Brussels-Capital, Belgium

Company:

micro_scope

Trivia:

French visa #112296 delivered on 20 October 2006.

Pay full price for this one!

My husband and I saw this film at the Cleveland International Film Festival. I originally wanted to see another movie since the description of Congorama didn't interest me. But we ended up compromising on this one and it was a great choice. It really surprised me because it wasn't just about his inventions, but his mid-life identity crisis- due to the fact that he discovers he was adopted. This film is definitely worth the ticket price. I really enjoyed the unique story and the subtle twists in plot. This movie was written well. It left just enough questions for my husband and I to talk about Congorama the whole way home. There are a couple funny points in the film, especially with the main character "stuck in a rut." I believe that Olivier Gourmet did a great job of playing Michel, the inventor/engineer who just can't get a break. Sitting in the theater, I genuinely felt like I knew him from watching his story unfold. His inventions were actually decent... Who wouldn't want a solar-powered "Turtle Trotter" lawn mower? I'd buy it!