Father of my Children.

The family grieve.

George Canvel is a Parisian art house film producer, he has a beautiful wife, Sylvia, three lovely daughters, including the teenage Clemence and a film company, Moon Films, that’s has dire financial problems and faces bankruptcy. The first part of this two-act movie shows Canvel balancing his ever busier and traumatic business affairs with a happy family life, although Sylvia objects to the frequent telephone conversations while the family are away on holiday. The second half of the film, following Canvel's suicide, surprisingly does not descend into maudlin sentimentality but maintains an upbeat pace with Canvel’s widow attempting to rescue the ailing film company.


Father of my Children (2009) is based on the life of French film producer Humbert Balsan who hanged himself in his Paris offices in 2005. Balsan funded films by various independent directors including Claire Denis, James Ivory, Lars von Trier and Bela Tarr. One of the films he was hoping to produce just before he died was All is Forgiven (2007) the debut feature film by young writer and director Mia Hansen-Love. Father of my Children is her second feature film and her personnel tribute to a man she obviously has a great deal of respect for. Although a typically French middleclass drama involving family, finances and misfortune it’s a very convincing picture of the film business. Real life father and daughter Louis-Do and Alice de Lencquesaing play on screen father and daughter Gregoire and Clemence Canvel with Sylvia portrayed by Chiara Caselli. This very enjoyable film was the winner of the Un Certain Regard Special Jury Prize at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival.