The Round Up (film)
Encyclopedia
The Round Up is a 2010 French film directed by Roselyne Bosch and produced by Alain Goldman. The film stars Mélanie Laurent
, Jean Reno
, Sylvie Testud
and Gad Elmaleh
. Based on the true story of a young Jewish boy, the film depicts the Vel' d'Hiv Roundup (Rafle du Vel' d'Hiv), the mass arrest
of Jews by French police who were Nazi accomplices in Paris in July 1942.
collaborators in the rafle du Vel' d'Hiv. Anna Traube, a 20 year old woman, walks out of the velodrome with forged papers; her mother and sister are captured. Annette Monod, a Protestant nurse, volunteers for the velodrome, and assists Jewish doctor David Sheinbaum. From the Vélodrome d'Hiver
Jo's family and Sheinbaum are transferred to Beaune-la-Rolande
. Monod comes along.
The parents are dispatched by train to supposed "work camps in the East" (in reality the extermination camps), and Sheinbaum too. Monod wants to come along, but Sheinbaum talks her out of that. After some time authorities announce that for humanitarian reasons the children will be united with their parents in the east (in reality the adults have already been killed, and they are now going to kill the children). Some children are happy. However, Jo and a friend Pavel hear the truth and escape under barbed wire, taking along money that the family had hidden in the toilets along with their valuables.
After the war Monod searches for survivors at the Hôtel Lutetia
; she is relieved that Jo and Noé turn out to have survived.
near where the Weismann family lived. Her father had been detained in one of Francisco Franco
's internment camps, so she felt a connection with the subject matter. She began extensively researching the events surrounding the round up and discovered survivor Joseph Weismann and Annette Monod whose memories would eventually form the base of the script. Bosch decided to portray only real life characters in the film and cast Gad Elmaleh
in the role of Joseph's father, Schmuel Weismann. Initially, Elmaleh was hesitant to accept a serious dramatic role, but after reading the script he agreed to play the role. Actress Mélanie Laurent
was cast in the role of the Red Cross worker Annette Monod, who was named a Righteous Among the Nations
for her efforts during and after the round up.
Shooting began in May 2009 and lasted for 13 weeks. 9,000 extras were used and facsimiles of the Vélodrome d'hiver
and a concentration camp were reconstructed in Hungary
for the film.
, Luxembourg and Switzerland
on the same day. It is scheduled to release in late 2010 in the UK and the US.
Mélanie Laurent
Mélanie Laurent is a French actress, director, singer and writer. She is best known to international audiences for her role as Shosanna Dreyfus in Quentin Tarantino's 2009 film Inglourious Basterds, for which she won Best Actress from the Online Film Critics Society and the Austin Film Critics...
, Jean Reno
Jean Reno
Jean Reno is a French actor. Working in French, English, Spanish and Italian, he has appeared not only in numerous successful Hollywood productions such as The Pink Panther, Godzilla, The Da Vinci Code, Mission: Impossible, Ronin and Couples Retreat, but also in European productions such as the...
, Sylvie Testud
Sylvie Testud
Sylvie Testud is a French actress, writer and director. Her film career began in 1991. She was later highly acclaimed, and has twice won César Awards.-Biography:...
and Gad Elmaleh
Gad Elmaleh
Gad Elmaleh is a French-Moroccan stand-up comedian and actor. His latest show is called Papa est en haut . He has starred in several feature films, including Coco, Hors de prix, La Doublure and Midnight in Paris.- Early years :Elmaleh was born in Casablanca, Morocco...
. Based on the true story of a young Jewish boy, the film depicts the Vel' d'Hiv Roundup (Rafle du Vel' d'Hiv), the mass arrest
Mass arrest
A mass arrest occurs when the police apprehend large numbers of suspects at once. This sometimes occurs at illegal protests. Some mass arrests are also used in an effort combat gang activity. This is sometimes controversial, and lawsuits sometimes result...
of Jews by French police who were Nazi accomplices in Paris in July 1942.
Plot
Jo Weisman, a young Jewish Parisian, and his family are taken by the Nazis and VichyVichy France
Vichy France, Vichy Regime, or Vichy Government, are common terms used to describe the government of France that collaborated with the Axis powers from July 1940 to August 1944. This government succeeded the Third Republic and preceded the Provisional Government of the French Republic...
collaborators in the rafle du Vel' d'Hiv. Anna Traube, a 20 year old woman, walks out of the velodrome with forged papers; her mother and sister are captured. Annette Monod, a Protestant nurse, volunteers for the velodrome, and assists Jewish doctor David Sheinbaum. From the Vélodrome d'Hiver
Vélodrome d'hiver
The Vélodrome d'Hiver , colloquially Vel' d'Hiv, was an indoor bicycle racing cycle track and stadium on rue Nélaton, not far from the Eiffel Tower in Paris. As well as track cycling, it was used for ice hockey, wrestling, boxing, roller-skating, circuses, spectaculars, and demonstrations...
Jo's family and Sheinbaum are transferred to Beaune-la-Rolande
Beaune-la-Rolande
Beaune-la-Rolande is a commune in the Loiret department in north-central France.On 28 November 1870 it was the site of a battle during the Franco-Prussian War, in which the noted French impressionist painter Frédéric Bazille was killed....
. Monod comes along.
The parents are dispatched by train to supposed "work camps in the East" (in reality the extermination camps), and Sheinbaum too. Monod wants to come along, but Sheinbaum talks her out of that. After some time authorities announce that for humanitarian reasons the children will be united with their parents in the east (in reality the adults have already been killed, and they are now going to kill the children). Some children are happy. However, Jo and a friend Pavel hear the truth and escape under barbed wire, taking along money that the family had hidden in the toilets along with their valuables.
After the war Monod searches for survivors at the Hôtel Lutetia
Hôtel Lutetia
The Hôtel Lutetia, located at 45 Boulevard Raspail, in the Saint-Germain-des-Prés area of the 6th Arrondissement of Paris, is one of the best-known hotels on the Left Bank...
; she is relieved that Jo and Noé turn out to have survived.
Reality
The plot features several real people, including Jo Weisman and Anna Traube; in the film her mother and sister are captured, in real life they also escaped to join their father in Limoges. Another real character is Annette Monod. Dr. David Sheinbaum, played by Jean Reno, is a synthesis of more than one doctor.Cast
- Hugo Leverdez as young Jo Weismann (aged 11)
- the real Jo Weisman (aged 80) as the old man
- Raphaëlle Agogué as Sura Weismann
- Gad ElmalehGad ElmalehGad Elmaleh is a French-Moroccan stand-up comedian and actor. His latest show is called Papa est en haut . He has starred in several feature films, including Coco, Hors de prix, La Doublure and Midnight in Paris.- Early years :Elmaleh was born in Casablanca, Morocco...
as Schmuel Weismann - Sylvie TestudSylvie TestudSylvie Testud is a French actress, writer and director. Her film career began in 1991. She was later highly acclaimed, and has twice won César Awards.-Biography:...
as Bella Zygler - Oliver Cywie as Simon Zygler
- Mathieu and Romain Di Concetto as Noé Zygler
- Adèle Exarchopoulos as Anna Traube (aged 20), escaped and survived.
- Anne BrochetAnne BrochetAnne Brochet is a French comedienne and actress. She has appeared in such films as Cyrano de Bergerac, Le temps des porte-plumes, 30 ans, Une journée de merde! and Tous les matins du monde. She has also appeared in several episodes the television show Voici venir l'orage......
as Dina Traube - Catherine AllegretCatherine AllégretCatherine Allégret is a French actress. She is the daughter of Simone Signoret and Yves Allégret.In 2004, she published a book titled World Upside Down in which she contended that she had been sexually abused by her stepfather Yves Montand since the age of 5.In 2007, she portrayed Édith Piaf's...
as the concierge Tati - Isabelle Gélinas as Hélène Timonier
- Barnabás Réti as Monsieur Goldstein
- Mélanie LaurentMélanie LaurentMélanie Laurent is a French actress, director, singer and writer. She is best known to international audiences for her role as Shosanna Dreyfus in Quentin Tarantino's 2009 film Inglourious Basterds, for which she won Best Actress from the Online Film Critics Society and the Austin Film Critics...
as Protestant nurse Annette Monod (d.1995) - Jean RenoJean RenoJean Reno is a French actor. Working in French, English, Spanish and Italian, he has appeared not only in numerous successful Hollywood productions such as The Pink Panther, Godzilla, The Da Vinci Code, Mission: Impossible, Ronin and Couples Retreat, but also in European productions such as the...
as Dr. David Sheinbaum - Thierry FrémontThierry FrémontThierry Frémont is a French actor. He has appeared in over 65 films and television shows since 1984. He starred in the 1991 film Fortune Express, which was entered into the 41st Berlin International Film Festival.-Selected filmography:...
as Capitaine Pierret, fire chief - Catherine Hosmalin as the baker's wife
- Udo Schenk as Adolf HitlerAdolf HitlerAdolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
- Thomas Darchinger as Heinrich HimmlerHeinrich HimmlerHeinrich Luitpold Himmler was Reichsführer of the SS, a military commander, and a leading member of the Nazi Party. As Chief of the German Police and the Minister of the Interior from 1943, Himmler oversaw all internal and external police and security forces, including the Gestapo...
- Holger Daemgen as Helmut KnochenHelmut KnochenHelmut Knochen was the senior commander of the Sicherheitspolizei and Sicherheitsdienst in Paris during the Nazi occupation of France during the World War II.- Early life :...
- Dr. Roland Copé as Marshal Philippe PétainPhilippe PétainHenri Philippe Benoni Omer Joseph Pétain , generally known as Philippe Pétain or Marshal Pétain , was a French general who reached the distinction of Marshal of France, and was later Chief of State of Vichy France , from 1940 to 1944...
- Jean-Michel Noirey as Prime Minister Pierre LavalPierre LavalPierre Laval was a French politician. He was four times President of the council of ministers of the Third Republic, twice consecutively. Following France's Armistice with Germany in 1940, he served twice in the Vichy Regime as head of government, signing orders permitting the deportation of...
- Frederic Moulin as Laval's deputy, René BousquetRené BousquetRené Bousquet was a high-ranking French civil servant, who served as secretary general to the Vichy regime police from May 1942 to 31 December 1943.-Biography:...
- Patrick Courtois as Emile Hennequin, Paris chief of police
- Denis MénochetDenis MenochetDenis Menochet is a French film and television actor. Menochet is perhaps best known to an international audience for his role as Perrier LaPadite, a French dairy farmer interrogated by the Nazis for harboring Jews, in the 2009 Quentin Tarantino film, Inglourious Basterds.Elizabeth Weitzman, a...
as adjutant-chef Corot, the internment camp commandant at Beaune-la-RolandeBeaune-la-RolandeBeaune-la-Rolande is a commune in the Loiret department in north-central France.On 28 November 1870 it was the site of a battle during the Franco-Prussian War, in which the noted French impressionist painter Frédéric Bazille was killed....
Music
"Clair de lune" from Debussy. "Valse N°17" from Chopin. "Paris" from Edith Piaf. "Tombé du ciel" from Charles Trenet. "Insensiblement", and "Quand un Vicomte", from Ray Ventura. "Tout en flanant" from André Claveau. "La Savane" from Gottschalk. "Concerto de L'adieu" from Georges Delerue. "Concerto pour Violon", from Philip Glass.Production
Bosch first decided to make a film of the events surrounding the rafle du Vel' d'Hiv because she felt sympathy with the victims. Her husband's family is Jewish and lived in MontmartreMontmartre
Montmartre is a hill which is 130 metres high, giving its name to the surrounding district, in the north of Paris in the 18th arrondissement, a part of the Right Bank. Montmartre is primarily known for the white-domed Basilica of the Sacré Cœur on its summit and as a nightclub district...
near where the Weismann family lived. Her father had been detained in one of Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco y Bahamonde was a Spanish general, dictator and head of state of Spain from October 1936 , and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in November, 1975...
's internment camps, so she felt a connection with the subject matter. She began extensively researching the events surrounding the round up and discovered survivor Joseph Weismann and Annette Monod whose memories would eventually form the base of the script. Bosch decided to portray only real life characters in the film and cast Gad Elmaleh
Gad Elmaleh
Gad Elmaleh is a French-Moroccan stand-up comedian and actor. His latest show is called Papa est en haut . He has starred in several feature films, including Coco, Hors de prix, La Doublure and Midnight in Paris.- Early years :Elmaleh was born in Casablanca, Morocco...
in the role of Joseph's father, Schmuel Weismann. Initially, Elmaleh was hesitant to accept a serious dramatic role, but after reading the script he agreed to play the role. Actress Mélanie Laurent
Mélanie Laurent
Mélanie Laurent is a French actress, director, singer and writer. She is best known to international audiences for her role as Shosanna Dreyfus in Quentin Tarantino's 2009 film Inglourious Basterds, for which she won Best Actress from the Online Film Critics Society and the Austin Film Critics...
was cast in the role of the Red Cross worker Annette Monod, who was named a Righteous Among the Nations
Righteous Among the Nations
Righteous among the Nations of the world's nations"), also translated as Righteous Gentiles is an honorific used by the State of Israel to describe non-Jews who risked their lives during the Holocaust to save Jews from extermination by the Nazis....
for her efforts during and after the round up.
Shooting began in May 2009 and lasted for 13 weeks. 9,000 extras were used and facsimiles of the Vélodrome d'hiver
Vélodrome d'hiver
The Vélodrome d'Hiver , colloquially Vel' d'Hiv, was an indoor bicycle racing cycle track and stadium on rue Nélaton, not far from the Eiffel Tower in Paris. As well as track cycling, it was used for ice hockey, wrestling, boxing, roller-skating, circuses, spectaculars, and demonstrations...
and a concentration camp were reconstructed in Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
for the film.
Release
The French premiere took place on 10 March 2010. The film also opened in BelgiumBelgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, Luxembourg and Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
on the same day. It is scheduled to release in late 2010 in the UK and the US.