Marion Cotillard is playing Tina Lombardi
English title: A Very Long Engagement

Directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet Written by Jean-Pierre Jeunet, Guillaume Laurant, Sébastien Japrisot (novel) Genre Drama / Mystery / Romance / War Tagline Never let go Theatrical Release France: 27/10/2004, USA: 17/12/2004. UK: 21/01/2005 DVD Release Starring Audrey Tautou, Gaspard Ulliel, Dominique Pinon, Ticky Holgado, Chantal Neuwirth, André Dussollier, Jean-Paul Rouve, Jérôme Kircher, Jean-Pierre Darroussin, Denis Lavant, Dominique Bettenfeld, Albert Dupontel, Jean-Pierre Becker, Tcheky Karyo, Jean-Claude Dreyfus, Marion Cotillard, Julie Depardieu, Clotilde Courau, Jodie Foster

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It's 1919 and Mathilde is 19 years old. Two years earlier, her fiance Manech left for the Somme where, like thousands of others, he "died on the field of honor." The official notification of his death clearly states this, black ink on white paper. And yet, Mathilde refuses to accept this evidence. If Manech was dead, she would know. She clings on to her intuition as though to a last stretched cord linking her to her lover. A former sergent may insist that Manech died in the no man's land of a trench called Bingo Crépuscule, accompanied by four other soldiers condemned to death for willful mutilation, the message doesn't get through. Mathilde refuses to let go, clings ever more tightly to her convictions and sets out on her own investigation. Despite false hopes and incertitudes, little be little she reveals the truth about what happened to Manech and his four camarades. The path is full of stumbling blocks and traps, but Mathilde is not afraid. Anything can be overcome by those who choose to challenge fate...

Marion Cotillard plays Tina Lombardi a former prostitue from Corsica also searching for the truth about her lost lover's fate. However, she is Mathilde's opposite, she employs ruthlessness instead of Mathilde’s above-board methods for finding answers. At first, Marion's character is only introduced as a one-dimensional figure. Nontheless, as the story unfolds and we learn more about Tina's motives she becomes a real character. Marion leaves a big impression and delivers a powerful performance.

• Filming Locations: Austerlitz Railway Station, Paris; Orsay Museum, Paris; Restaurant Chartier, Paris; Plogonnec, Finistère; Locronan, Finistère (France)
• The film was shown at a number of Film Festivals: e.g. in Hong Kong, Moscow and Stockholm.
• Was nominated for 2 Oscars and 12 César awards (5 wins, among them Best Supporting Actress for Marion Cotillard).
• After the phenomenal 'Amélie' this film marks the 2nd collaboration of director Jean-Pierre Jeunet and Audrey Tautou.
• A Paris court ruling prevented the movie from receiving State financial aid reserved to French movie production companies because it was produced by a company owned by Warner Bros., hence not a French company.
• Disqualified to compete in the prestigious Cannes Film Festival because it has been shown outside its country of origin regardless of the fact that a Paris court ruled the movie to be too American.
• Tina Lombardi's execution scene is directly inspired by the real film of the last public execution in France, Eugen Weidmann's in 1939.
• Jodie Foster agreed to star in a little role since the main roles were already taken. She speaks French fluently, so she acted with her own voice.

Obviously the combination director Jean-Pierre Jeunet and actress Audrey Tatou already makes for a great movie (think: Amélie). The same magic and significant visualism can be found in this film. I love this movie, especially because of the landscape (Bretagne) and the soundtrack. This is a film to watch again - there are many details to discover.
by Maria