A seemingly simple taxi ride across Paris evolves into a profound meditation on the realities of the driver and his fare, a 92-year-old woman whose warmth belies her shocking past. 

Charles (Dany Boon) is a taxi driver in Paris, and he is having a very bad day. Enter Madeleine (Line Renaud), an immaculately groomed nonagenarian, who informs Charles that the trip today will not be a direct one. She is moving into a nursing home and would like to make some stops along the way, predicting that this might be her last car ride through the city. Their ride takes them through the momentous locations of her life and their brief friendship deepens as Madeleine listens to Charles confess his own worries. 

Boon, an actor best known for his comedic work, creates a dramatic portrait of a frustrated man facing a personal crisis of epic proportions. His darker, sharper edges allow Renaud (renowned for decades in France as a singer) to shine as the pure shimmering light that is Madeleine, reminding us that inside every seemingly benign elderly woman we might pass on the street is a warrior, a nurturer, and a spirited adventurer.

Runtime: NR • 1hr 31min, French with English subtitles

Barbra Streisand comments on seeing “Driving Madeleine” (Une belle Course) while accepting her lifetime achievement award at the SAG Awards on Saturday, February 24th.

https://youtu.be/2TPfQvu2KB8?feature=shared&t=414

Praise for Driving Madeleine

Toronto International Film Festival: Official Selection
Palm Springs International Film Festival: Official Selection

“Beautifully made…Gloriously acted…This film is the very definition of movie magic. It’s a film that makes you wondrously alive. It’s a film that makes you want to reconnect to life… DRIVING MADELEINE is one of the first great films of 2024…Highly recommended.” -Unseen Films

“They are both irresistibly cast with exceptional veteran stars who both grab the heart and never let go” -Deadline

“When you have a film like this that enables the two gifted actors who have chemistry to play off each other, it’s hard to beat.” It’s stripped down to the elements of acting, it can be just so powerful!” -NPR Film Week

“Her eyes tell a life story that’s equally magic and tragic, and her screen presence elevates “Driving Madeleine” into a fitting celebration of life from a character on death’s door.”  -Indiewire