Gainsbourg: A Heroic Life

Gainsbourg: A Heroic Life
Promotional poster
Directed by	Joann Sfar
Written by	Joann Sfar
Produced by	Marc du Pontavice Didier Lupfer
Starring	Eric Elmosnino Lucy Gordon Laetitia Casta Doug Jones Mylène Jampanoï Anna Mouglalis Yolande Moreau Sara Forestier Philippe Katerine Claude Chabrol
Cinematography	Guillaume Schiffman
Edited by	Maryline Monthieux
Music by	Olivier Daviaud
Distributed by	Universal Pictures International
Release date	20 January 2010 (France)
Running time	130 minutes
Country	France
Language	French
Budget	$18.4 million
Box office	$12.2 million

Gainsbourg: A Heroic Life (original title: Gainsbourg (Vie héroïque)) is a 2010 French drama film written and directed by Joann Sfar. It is a biopic of French singer Serge Gainsbourg.

Plot

The film follows notorious musician Serge Gainsbourg's exploits from his upbringing in Nazi occupied France through his rise to fame and love affairs with Juliette Gréco, Brigitte Bardot and Jane Birkin to his later experimentation with reggae in Jamaica. It also incorporates multiple elements of fantasy, most significantly with the character called "The Mug", an animated exaggeration of Gainsbourg that acts as his conscience (or anti-conscience) at crucial moments in Gainsbourg's life. The film also includes many of Gainsbourg's more famous songs, which serve as the soundtrack to the film and often serve as plot elements themselves.

Cast