Certificate 15. Running time: 1hr 31mins. Drama. Doors open at 7.00pm
Driving Madeleine is a 2022 French-Belgian drama film directed by Christian Carion. Originally “Une Belle Course.”
Madeleine, leaves her small suburban house for a nursing home on the other side of Paris. Charles, a taxi driver, comes to pick her up and Madeleine, in no hurry to get there, asks him to go via places in the capital with special connections to her life.
This seemingly simple taxi ride across Paris evolves into a profound meditation on the life of the driver, whose personal life is in shambles, and his fare, an elderly woman whose warmth belies her shocking past.
Charles is slowly lured in by Madeleine’s warm charm and directness; fascinated by the stories she wants to tell. Their short friendship is sure to have a lasting impact as Madeleine listens to Charles confess his own worries, all of which she absorbs with candour and clarifying humour.
Dany 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 Line Renaud (renowned for decades in France as a singer) to shine as the pure shimmering light that is Madeleine. She reminds us that inside every seemingly benign elderly woman we might pass on the street is a warrior, a nurturer, and a spirited adventurer.
Reviews
‘Driving Madeleine‘ is a beautiful, intimate story, expertly told, with just the right amount of pathos.
Regular attendees of our events will be aware that we have a limited number of wheelchair/accessible seats and therefore in an effort to make it fair for all concerned we are asking friends and family to book a seat in Row A behind. Thank you for your understanding and co operation