The Eighth Day

The Eighth Day is a 1996 Franco-Belgian comedy-drama film that tells the story of the friendship that develops between two men who meet by chance. Harry (Daniel Auteuil), a divorced businessman who feels alienated from his children, meets Georges (Pascal Duquenne), an institutionalised man with Down syndrome, after Georges has escaped from his mental institution and is nearly run over by Harry. The film was selected as the Belgian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 69th Academy Awards, but was not accepted as a nominee. The film was written and directed by Jaco Van Dormael. Some scenes in the film appear as dream sequences, often employing magical realism. The music of Luis Mariano ("Mexico," and "Maman, Tu Es La Plus Belle Du Monde") is used in these scenes, with actor Laszlo Harmati playing Mariano, who died in 1970. The original music score is from Pierre Van Dormael, Jaco's brother. Cast Daniel Auteuil as Harry Pascal Duquenne as Georges Miou-Miou as Julie Henri Garcin as The director of the bank Isabelle Sadoyan as Georges' Mother Michele Maes as Nathalie Fabienne Loriaux as Fabienne Hélène Roussel as Julie's mother Alice van Dormael as Alice Juliette Van Dormael as Juliette Didier De Neck as Fabienne's husband Marie-Pierre Meinzel Sabrina Leurquin as Waitress in fast food restaurant Laszlo Harmati as Luis Mariano