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Short animated comedy

The Old Lady and the Pigeons (1997): Cast & Plot

The Old Lady and the Pigeons (1997) movie poster

The Old Lady and the Pigeons is a 1997 short animated comedy directed by Sylvain Chomet, starring Andrea Usher-Jones, James Pidgeon and Michoue Sylvain. It runs 25 minutes.

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The Old Lady and the Pigeons (1997) movie poster
Released
Runtime
25 min
Director
Sylvain Chomet
Genres
Comedy , Animation
Original language
French
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is The Old Lady and the Pigeons About?

The premise of The Old Lady and the Pigeons without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

A starving gendarme, gaunt from hunger, resorts to snatching discarded snacks from plump American tourists. One day he watches an elderly woman scattering grain to feed pigeons, and in sheer desperation concocts the outlandish scheme of disguising himself as a pigeon to join the flock and secure a meal. In this darkly comic vignette, his absurd plan underscores the extremes he’ll go to survive.

The Old Lady and the Pigeons Themes & Keywords

· 21 tags
  • dark comedy
  • france
  • animal in title
  • bird in title
  • pigeon
  • starving
  • gendarme
  • old woman
  • hunger
  • grande dame guignol
  • mad from hunger
  • starvation
+9 more
  • mask
  • eating
  • dinner
  • cockroach
  • park
  • bench
  • paris france
  • surrealism
  • insanity
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Cast & crew

The Old Lady and the Pigeons Cast

Andrea Usher-Jones leads the cast, with James Pidgeon and Michoue Sylvain. Directed by Sylvain Chomet.

Plot

The Old Lady and the Pigeons Plot Summary

What happens in The Old Lady and the Pigeons from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 12 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

Voiced by Andrea Usher-Jones, James Pidgeon, and Michoue Sylvain.

A spare, dreamlike fable unfolds in a Paris that feels both intimate and uncanny. A police officer, living in squalor and buoyed by a stubborn sense of hunger, becomes fixated on an old lady who tends to a small garden square where pigeons gather. The contrast could not be starker: while he starves, the old woman lavishes the birds with delicate, refined dishes. The tension between need and plenty threads through every frame, turning a simple street scene into a maze of appetite, restraint, and ritual.

Full summary

The whole story of The Old Lady and the Pigeons, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Videos

The Old Lady and the Pigeons Videos

The clip of The Old Lady and the Pigeons.

Stará dáma a holubi / Old Lady and the Pigeons
Quiz

How Well Do You Know The Old Lady and the Pigeons?

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
  2. Question 2: not answered
  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

In which city does the story take place?

Details

The Old Lady and the Pigeons Also Known As

8 alternative titles, including “Старая дама и голуби” and “Старая леди и голуби”.

Also known as
  • Старая дама и голуби
  • Старая леди и голуби
  • La anciana y las palomas
  • Die alte Dame und die Tauben
  • Starsza Pani i Gołębie
  • 老妇与鸽子
  • 老婦人とハト
  • A velha senhora e os pombos

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FAQ

The Old Lady and the Pigeons FAQ: Cast & Runtime

Runtime, release date, director, cast, post-credit scenes and language of The Old Lady and the Pigeons, each answered in a sentence.

How long is The Old Lady and the Pigeons?

The Old Lady and the Pigeons runs 25 minutes.

When was The Old Lady and the Pigeons released?

The Old Lady and the Pigeons was released on March 28, 1997.

Who directed The Old Lady and the Pigeons?

The Old Lady and the Pigeons was directed by Sylvain Chomet.

More films by Sylvain Chomet

Who is in the cast of The Old Lady and the Pigeons?

The Old Lady and the Pigeons stars Andrea Usher-Jones, James Pidgeon and Michoue Sylvain.

Does The Old Lady and the Pigeons have a post-credit scene?

No. The Old Lady and the Pigeons has no extra scene during or after the credits.

What language is The Old Lady and the Pigeons in?

The original language of The Old Lady and the Pigeons is French.

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