Belle and Sebastian
Short description
Set in the French Alps during the Second World War, this adventure film follows a lonely boy named Sebastian. He befriends a large mountain dog called Belle, whom the local villagers mistake for a dangerous beast responsible for killing sheep. As the community hunts the animal, Sebastian protects his friend, leading the pair into a larger journey together.
Directed by Nicolas Vanier, this was the first of five films he directed, followed by Spread Your Wings, Poly, Champagne!, and The World Upside Down. The screenplay was written by Juliette Sales, Nicolas Vanier, and Fabien Suarez. The movie stars Félix Bossuet as Sébastien and Tchéky Karyo as César, with a total credited cast of 31 people.
The production had a budget of 11 million USD and earned 36 million USD at the worldwide box office. Audience reception is generally positive, though scores vary between platforms. The film holds a rating of 8.1/10 on IMDb based on 633 votes and a 6.9/10 on TMDB from 687 votes.
What's left behind the scenes
- According to the books and the original television series, the main character, a boy named Sebastian, was born on January 20, 1959. In the film, the action is moved to the years of World War II.
- The film is based on the 'Belle and Sebastian' series of stories by French writer and actress Cécile Aubry.
- 2,400 boys auditioned for the role of Sebastian. Twelve finalists went with the director to the Vercors mountain region in southern France, where each of them could try their hand with their own dog sled team. The final choice was made there.
- Mehdi El Glaoui, who played Sebastian in the original television series, received a small role in the film.
- Filming took place over three seasons: summer, autumn, and winter. Despite the additional costs, director Nicolas Vanier insisted on this.
Auditions in India
Casting calls in USA
Castingi w Polsce
Кастинги в Україні
