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A Season in France (2018): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot

A Season in France (2018) movie poster

A Season in France is a 2018 drama directed by Mahamat-Saleh Haroun, starring Sandrine Bonnaire as Carole Blaszak, Eriq Ebouaney and Ibrahim Burama Darboe. It runs 1 hour 40 minutes and earned $98,390 worldwide. Critics gave it 92% on Rotten Tomatoes and 78 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.3/10.

IMDb rating
6.3/10
Rotten Tomatoes
92%
worldwide gross
$98.4K
Echo Score
76
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A Season in France (2018) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 40m (100 min)
Genre
Drama
Original language
French
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is A Season in France About?

The premise of A Season in France without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

Fleeing war in their home country, a high school teacher named Abbas and his children find refuge in France. He works diligently at a busy market while navigating the asylum process, facing an uncertain future. Carole offers them kindness and shelter, providing a brief respite from their struggles. However, disappointment and rejection force them to confront the harsh realities of their situation and the challenges of rebuilding their lives.

A Season in France Themes & Keywords

· 30 tags
  • asylum-applicant
  • male impotence
  • illegal immigrant
  • illegal alien
  • 2010s
  • paris france
  • country in title
  • ghostly vision
  • begins with a dream
  • migrant
  • dead mother
  • missing mother
+18 more
  • african immigrant
  • interracial couple
  • interracial relationship
  • central african republic
  • goldfish
  • single father
  • philosophy teacher
  • french teacher
  • asylum seeker
  • psychological impotence
  • reference to zlatan ibrahimovic
  • threat of deportation
  • eviction
  • suicide by fire
  • hospital room
  • burning man
  • funeral
  • interracial romance
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Cast & crew

A Season in France Cast & Characters

Sandrine Bonnaire leads the cast as Carole Blaszak, with Eriq Ebouaney as Abbas Mahadjir and Ibrahim Burama Darboe as Yacine Mahadjir. Directed by Mahamat-Saleh Haroun; 10 actors are credited in all.

Also Starring in A Season in France

· 6 more
From the director

More from Mahamat-Saleh Haroun

More films directed by Mahamat-Saleh Haroun, best-rated first: Lingui, The Sacred Bonds, Hissein Habre, A Chadian Tragedy, Daratt and A Screaming Man.

Full filmography
Ratings

A Season in France Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave A Season in France 92% on Rotten Tomatoes and 78 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.3/10. Our Echo Score gives it 76/100, strongest in character & emotion (88) and weakest in rewatch factor (60).

76 /100

A Season in France Echo Score Breakdown

A Season in France delivers a thoughtfully observed drama with a strong humanitarian perspective. Critics highlight its empathetic yet edged filmmaking, noting an ominous sense of restlessness and a clear political undercurrent. The narrative’s deliberate pacing and occasional stiffness underscore a testimony-like approach that can feel plodding at times. Performances convey genuine distress and subtle heartbreak, grounding the film’s emotional stakes. Overall, it presents a poignant and sincere exploration of displacement that resonates despite its measured rhythm.

Our own 0–100 rating, built from five aspects: art, character, story, the sensory experience and how well a film rewatches.

  • Art & Craft 80

    In terms of art and craft, Haroun’s direction adopts a deliberate steadiness that reinforces the film’s testimonial quality. The cinematography employs understated framing and a muted color palette to evoke the protagonists’ constrained existence. Production design remains minimal but effective in conveying everyday liminality, while editing choices emphasize lingering tension before dramatic moments. This restrained aesthetic contributes to a cohesive visual style that balances warmth with an underlying tension.

  • Character & Emotion 88

    When it comes to character and emotion, the film offers nuanced performances that capture both vulnerability and resilience. The leads convey fear and uncertainty with measured restraint, while supportive cast members bring depth to familial bonds under strain. Character arcs unfold through moments of quiet despair and subtle hope, reflecting themes of displacement and survival. Overall, this ensemble delivers a compelling emotional core that resonates beyond the screen.

  • Story & Flow 65

    In terms of story and flow, the film adopts a measured pacing that underscores its testimonial ambition. The narrative unfolds with disciplined restraint, though occasional stiffness in dialogue and expository scenes can disrupt engagement. Moments of dramatic intensity punctuate the plot, reflecting both political urgency and personal despair. While some viewers may find the structure plodding, the story’s robust thematic underpinnings maintain a consistent sense of purpose and engagement.

  • Sensory Experience 70

    Regarding sensory experience, the film utilizes a restrained soundscape and subtle musical motifs to support its emotional tone. Sound design remains unobtrusive, allowing ambient noises to convey environmental unease. Visually, the restrained color palette and low-key lighting create a cohesive atmosphere that mirrors the characters’ constrained lives. Occasional bursts of visual tension reinforce narrative stakes, resulting in an understated but cohesive sensory presentation.

  • Rewatch Factor 60

    As a rewatch proposition, A Season in France presents themes and performances that reward close attention. The film’s deliberate pacing and thematic depth may reveal new emotional nuances on subsequent viewings. However, its testimonial style and occasional narrative stiffness could limit its appeal for repeated consumption. Overall, the lasting resonance of its humanitarian focus suggests moderate replay value for viewers invested in its compassionate exploration.

Plot

A Season in France Plot Summary

What happens in A Season in France from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 12 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

The film takes place in 2016 and follows the journey of Abbas Mahadjir, a French teacher from the Central African Republic. Together with his family, including his brother, he narrowly escaped the brutal civil wars ravaging his homeland. The haunting memory of his wife, who tragically lost her life during their perilous flight, continues to overshadow him. Now residing in the suburbs of Paris, he strives to provide for his two young children, Asma and Yacine (Aalayna Lys and Ibrahim Burama Darboe), as they navigate their new lives in a foreign land and go to school.

Full summary

The whole story of A Season in France, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Box office

A Season in France Box Office

A Season in France grossed $98,390 worldwide.

2018 box office

Worldwide gross

$98.4K

International
$98.4K
Videos

A Season in France Trailers & Videos

The teaser of A Season in France.

Quiz

How Well Do You Know A Season in France?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
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  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

What is the main profession of Abbas Mahadjir?

Details

A Season in France Also Known As

8 alternative titles, including “Rudens Francijā” and “En säsong i Frankrike”.

Also known as
  • Rudens Francijā
  • En säsong i Frankrike
  • 流離悲歌
  • Сезон във Франция
  • Jesień we Francji
  • Hoffnung auf Heimat
  • Kausi Ranskassa
  • 法兰西一季

Seen A Season in France?

FAQ

A Season in France FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Runtime

Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings, post-credit scenes and language of A Season in France, each answered in a sentence.

How long is A Season in France?

A Season in France runs 1 hour 40 minutes (100 minutes).

When was A Season in France released?

A Season in France was released on October 19, 2018.

Who directed A Season in France?

A Season in France was directed by Mahamat-Saleh Haroun.

More films by Mahamat-Saleh Haroun

Who is in the cast of A Season in France?

A Season in France stars Sandrine Bonnaire as Carole Blaszak, Eriq Ebouaney as Abbas Mahadjir and Ibrahim Burama Darboe as Yacine Mahadjir, among 10 credited actors.

How much did A Season in France make at the box office?

A Season in France grossed $98,390 worldwide.

How is A Season in France rated?

A Season in France has 6.3/10 on IMDb, 92% on Rotten Tomatoes, 78 on Metacritic and 55% on TMDB.

Does A Season in France have a post-credit scene?

No. A Season in France has no extra scene during or after the credits.

What language is A Season in France in?

The original language of A Season in France is French.

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