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Nina Kervel, Julie Depardieu, Stefano Accorsi, Martine Chevallier, Gabrielle Vallieres ... see more see more... , Marie-Noelle Bordeaux , Benjamin Feuillet , Olivier Perrier , Marie Kremer , Raphael Personnaz , Mar Sodupe , Christiana Markou , Thi Thy Tien N'Guyen

When her wealthy parents are suddenly motivated to take an overtly political stance as massive political and economical change sweeps through France, the daughter of a wealthy Spanish lawyer and a suc... read more read more...cessful French journalist attempts to make sense of her once-stable world as everything she thought she ever knew is turned upside down. Anna (Nina Kervel) is a nine-year-old Catholic schoolgirl who excels in catechism class and knows how to hold a knife and fork while cutting her fruit. Her father, Fernando (Stefano Accorsi), comes from a prominent Spanish family and her mother, Marie (Julie Depardieu), is a well-known writer for a popular French women's magazine. Also sharing the family's sprawling home is Anna's younger brother, François (Benjamin Feuillet). When the increasing militancy of Fernando's communist sister begins to pose a threat to the family, the concerned brother stealthily travels to Spain and successfully smuggles his sister back into France. Fully indoctrinated in the belief that all communists are bad, Anna struggles to understand why, after returning from a trip to Latin America, her parents seem to have developed a strong social conscience. Meanwhile, as the thunderous footsteps of eager revolutionaries begin to echo through the hallways and mom begins to prepare a book protesting the illegality of abortion, Anna does her best to adapt to the strange new environment. The fiction feature debut of filmmaker Julie Gavras (daughter of celebrated filmmaker Costa), Blame It on Fidel! playfully covers the year in which the death of Charles De Gaulle, the election of Salvador Allende, and a landmark petition signed by 300 French women admitting to undergoing illegal abortions altered the way many Europeans viewed the world. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

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89% liked it

4,750 ratings

Critics

93% liked it

45 critics

Unrated, 1 hr. 38 min.

Directed by: Julie Gavras

Release Date: November 1, 2006

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DVD Release Date: November 6, 2007

Stats: 461 reviews

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Julie Depardieu
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Flixster Reviews (461)

  • itsjustme2004
    June 12, 2011
    itsjustme2004
    Interesting, but slightly difficult to follow, tale of young French girl whose parents become political activists. The acting is very good (especially the children), but the story is very slow going. Concentrating on the children, though, I did enjoy it due to them.
  • SirPant
    December 15, 2010
    SirPant
    A very funny child's perspective of capitalism vs. Communism. Interesting that the use of 'What you don't see' much used in horror films works so well here. Julie Gavras is a director to look out for, no doubt she has inherited some talent from her father Costa-Gavras. Nina Kerve... read morel-Bey plays the protagonist brilliantly and at such a young age she really steals the show. A very pleasant surprise and highly recommended.
  • dreamfaeries
    November 16, 2009
    dreamfaeries
    Very interesting to see how this girl grows and learns from everything that happens. She takes everything in and analyzes it. Quite wonderous.
  • RossCollinsUK
    August 22, 2007
    RossCollinsUK
    A sweet and entertaining tale about a kid growing up, trying to understand the adult world, whilst her parents throw away their privileged backgrounds to become Communists. Full of wise remarks as well as wisecracks! The director is the daughter of 70s political film maker Costa-... read moreGavras.
  • gator681
    September 9, 2007
    gator681
    [font=Arial]I was reminded of an exercise in relgion class(Catholic division) where we were shown how much more could be accomplished in a unit with a single, strong leader...[/font]
    [font=Arial][/font]
    [font=Century Gothic]In "Blame It on Fidel," it is 1970 and Fernando(Stefano... read more Accorsi), a lawyer, is frustrated and wants to become more politically involved, despite already housing his sister, Marga(Mar Sodupe), and niece, Pilar(Raphaelle Molinier), two refugees from Franco's Spain. So, he and his wife, Marie(Julie Depardieu), a writer for Marie Claire magazine, depart for South America, leaving their young children, Anna(Nina Kervel-Bey) and Francois(Benjamin Feuillet), in the care of their housekeeper, Filmomena(Marie-Noelle Bordeaux), a refugee from Castro's Cuba. On their return, Fernando announces plans to help the elected president of Chile, Salvador Allende, from afar. But now the family has to give up their spacious house in return for a smaller apartment. And Anna is none too pleased to be sharing a room with her younger brother...[/font]
    [font=Century Gothic][/font]
    [font=Century Gothic]"Blame It on Fidel" is a uniquely charming coming of age story told from the vantage point of Anna who is certainly perplexed at the changes in the household which reflect the turbulent nature of the world she is growing up in. Naturally curious, she absorbs some of her knowledge through osmosis but also through direct interaction with her parents and their friends, thus proving that it is never a good idea to keep children ignorant. But the parents do seem a little doctrinaire at times.(For example, I would not say Mickey Mouse is fascist. Donald Duck, maybe.) Remember, Fernando and Marie's politics do not change, just their level of involvement. Throughout they believe in the power of democracy to better the world and for Salvador Allende, certainly no Communist, to be a fine instrument for progressive change in the world. [/font]

View All Blame It on Fidel (La Faute a Fidel) Reviews

Critic Reviews

Jonathan Rosenbaum
December 4, 2007
Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader

The young heroine is rather humorless, but Gavras's intelligence and skillful touch are evident throughout. Full Review

Roger Ebert
September 28, 2007
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

The film contains a surprising amount of understated humor. Full Review

Tasha Robinson
September 27, 2007
Tasha Robinson, Chicago Tribune

It's all too easy to read Blame It On Fidel as a simple morality tale, an allegory comparing conservatism to childishness, and political awakening to emotional maturity. Full Review

Desson Thomson
September 27, 2007
Desson Thomson, Washington Post

Politics -- hardly a movie audience's immediate choice when it comes to entertainment -- becomes a deeply engaging subject in Blame It on Fidel thanks to a 9-year-old charmer who steals our hearts. Full Review

Carina Chocano
September 14, 2007
Carina Chocano, Los Angeles Times

A remarkably assured and elegant debut, Blame It on Fidel is the kind of smart, sophisticated and fiercely humanistic film that all movies should aspire to be, but seldom do. Full Review

Wesley Morris
August 17, 2007
Wesley Morris, Boston Globe

What is it about little girls and Franco that brings out the best in filmmakers? Full Review

V.A. Musetto
August 3, 2007
V.A. Musetto, New York Post

Julie Gavras, offspring of famed Greek-born filmmaker Constantin Costa-Gavras, makes an assured feature-directing debut with Blame It on Fidel. Full Review

Stephen Holden
August 3, 2007
Stephen Holden, New York Times

Julie Gavras's wonderful film, Blame It on Fidel, is a deeply political movie that sidesteps strident polemics by viewing the ideological conflicts within a French-Spanish family through the eyes of a... Full Review

Andrew O'Hehir
August 2, 2007
Andrew O'Hehir, Salon.com

A wrenching, funny and wise little picture, with a diva-like junior star at its center. Full Review

Aaron Hillis
July 31, 2007
Aaron Hillis, Village Voice

Gavras's style is already as assured as her father's, and her ability to balance the audience's understanding of grown-up beliefs with that of a rapidly maturing girl is deft. Full Review

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