Chocolat (2016 film)

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Chocolat
Chocolat 2016.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Roschdy Zem
Produced by Éric Altmayer
Nicolas Altmayer
Written by Roschdy Zem
Cyril Gely
Olivier Gorce
Gérard Noiriel
Based on Chocolat, clown nègre. L'histoire oubliée du premier artiste noir de la scène française
by Gérard Noiriel
Starring Omar Sy
James Thiérrée
Music by Gabriel Yared
Cinematography Thomas Letellier
Edited by Monica Coleman
Production
company
Distributed by Gaumont
Release dates
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  • 3 February 2016 (2016-02-03)
Running time
 110 minutes
Country France
Language French
Budget $18.5 million[1]
Box office $15.2 million[2]

Chocolat is a 2016 French drama film directed by Roschdy Zem and starring Omar Sy and James Thiérrée.

Synopsis

The clown Chocolat becomes, in 1886, the first black artist of the French scene.

Plot

In 1897, a black man, the son of former Cuban slave, plays a small role as the cannibal Kananga in the modest circus Delvaux. George Foottit, a white clown, is asked by the director to bring up his routine. He gets the idea to have an act with Kananga; a white authoritarian clown and a black scapegoat named Chocolat.

They are well received and the word spreads through France, reaching Joseph Oller, director of the Nouveau Cirque. He asks Foottit and Chocolat to take their show to his Parisian establishment. The success is immediate, and Chocolat becomes the first famous black clown. The success stirs envy in his previous employer's wife. She denounces him for being in France illegally.

Chocolat is arrested and tortured by the police. "A negro always remains a negro," the police commander tells Chocolat when he releases him. While the humiliation in the circus act is staged for humorous effect, the racism Chocolat encounters in France grinds him down. Chocolat is both celebrated as a star and made into a racial caricature. This becomes strikingly apparent when the poster for the show depicts Chocolat as a black stereotype. Faced with the hypocrisy of French society, he gives himself up to gambling, drugs and women. An attempt to end his clown duo to branch into the Shakesperean tragedy Othello ends with part of the audience booing the premiere. At the end of his life, Chocolat falls into obscurity and dies of consumption.

Historical accuracy

The film is only loosely based on the real life of Rafael Padilla,[3] son of a slave from Cuba, a Spanish colony at the time.

References to other films

File:Chocolat et Foottit - Chaise en bascule.webm
French: Chaise en bascule, lit. 'The tilting chair', featuring Chocolat and Foottit.

The film shows Foottit and Chocolat being filmed by Louis and Auguste Lumiére. During the credits, the Lumiére film The Tilting Chair (fr) featuring the real clowns is shown.

Cast

File:Costume scène Chocolat.jpg
Scene costume used by Omar Sy as Chocolat.

Reception

Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reports a 100% approval rating based on 23 reviews, with a weighted average of 7/10.[4] It grossed $15.2 million at the box office.[2]

Awards

Award / Pelicula Festival Category Nominations Outcomes
César Awards Best Actor Omar Sy Nominated
Best supporting actor James Thiérrée Nominated
Best Sound Brigitte Taillandier, Vincent Guillon and Stéphane Thiébaut Nominated
Best Original Music Gabriel Yared Nominated
Best Production Design Jérémie D. Lignol Won
Globe de Cristal Awards Best movie Won
Best actor Omar Sy Won
Lumières Awards Best Actor Omar Sy Nominated
James Thiérrée Nominated

References

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  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

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