Le huitième jour

Year: 1996
Country: France, Belgium, UK
Director: Jaco Van Dormael
Cast: Daniel Auteuil, Pascal Duquenne, Miou-Miou
Genre: comedy, drama
Runtime: 118 min.
Age: 12+

Georges has Down's syndrome and he's living at a mental-institution. Harry is a businessman, giving lectures for young aspiring salesmen. He is successful in his business life, but his social life is a disaster since his wife left him and took their two children with her. This weekend his children came by train to meet him, but Harry, working as always, forgot to pick them up. Neither his wife nor his children want to see him again and he is driving around the country roads, anguished and angry. He almost runs over Georges, on the run from the institution since everybody else went home with their parents except him, because his mother is dead. Harry tries to get rid of Georges but he won't leave his new friend. Eventually a special friendship forms between the two of them, a friendship which makes Harry a different person.

Awards & Festivals:

Cannes Film Festival — Best Actor
Golden Globe Award Nomination — Best Foreign Language Film
Cesar Award Nomination — Best Actor
Joseph Plateau Award — Best Belgian Film, Best Belgian Director, Best Belgian Actor