''Malabar Princess'' is a

2004 2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and Its Abolition (by UNESCO). Events January * January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 60 ...

French French may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France ** French people, a nation and ethnic group ** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices Arts and media * The French (band), ...

film directed by

Gilles Legrand The Gilles are the oldest and principal participants in the Carnival of Binche in Belgium. They go out on Shrove Tuesday from 4 a.m. until late hours and dance to traditional songs. Other cities, such as Ressaix, Leval, Buvrinnes, Épinois, ...

. The film is about a young boy called Tom, who is sent to live with his grandfather in the

French Alps The French Alps are the portions of the Alps mountain range that stand within France, located in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur regions. While some of the ranges of the French Alps are entirely in France, others, such a ...

after his mother disappeared during an excursion with her husband, Pierre, in the French Alps. He becomes friends with Benoît, a boy about his age. While searching for Tom's mother they come across the remains of a plane that had crashed during the 1950s.

Plot

Tom is eight and dyslexic, has been living near Mont Blanc with his maternal grandfather, a

tram A tram (also known as a streetcar or trolley in Canada and the United States) is an urban rail transit in which Rolling stock, vehicles, whether individual railcars or multiple-unit trains, run on tramway tracks on urban public streets; some ...

conductor. He becomes friends with Benoît, and the two search for the remains of the Malabar Princess, an

Air India Air India is the flag carrier of India with its main hub at Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi, and secondary hubs at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai, alo ...

plane that crashed in 1950.

Production

The film was shot on location at

Mont Blanc Mont Blanc (, ) is a mountain in the Alps, rising above sea level, located right at the Franco-Italian border. It is the highest mountain in Europe outside the Caucasus Mountains, the second-most prominent mountain in Europe (after Mount E ...

in France. The ''Malabar Princess'' disaster actually occurred on 3 November 1950. It was Flight 245, a

Lockheed Constellation The Lockheed Constellation ("Connie") is a propeller-driven, four-engined airliner built by Lockheed Corporation starting in 1943. The Constellation series was the first civil airliner family to enter widespread use equipped with a pressurized cab ...

aircraft of

, which had crashed at 4,700 meters above sea level. One of the engines of the wreckage was found on 15 September 1989 on the surface of the Glacier des Bossons, 1,900 m above sea level. A second engine was found on 22 September 2008 at 2,000 m above sea level on the same glacier.

Cast

Jacques Villeret Jacques Villeret (; 6 February 1951 – 28 January 2005) was a French actor, best known internationally for his role as François Pignon in the comedy '' Le Dîner de Cons''. During his career, he earned many awards including the prestigious ...

as Gaspard *

Michèle Laroque Michèle Laroque (; born 15 June 1960) is a French actress, comedienne, humorist, film producer, producer and screenwriter. Early life Michèle Laroque was born in Nice in the department of Alpes-Maritimes. She is the daughter of Romanian danc ...

as Valentine *

Claude Brasseur Claude Brasseur (; 15 June 1936 – 22 December 2020) was a French actor. Life and career Claude Brasseur was born in Neuilly-sur-Seine as Claude Pierre Espinasse, the son of actor Pierre Brasseur and actress Odette Joyeux. He was the godson of E ...

as Robert * Jules Angelo Bigarnet as Tom *

Clovis Cornillac Clovis Cornillac (born 16 August 1968) is a French actor, film director, and screenwriter. Life and career Clovis Cornillac was born to actors Myriam Boyer and Roger Cornillac. He started studying theatre at the age of 14. He made his debut ...

as Pierre *

Urbain Cancelier Urbain Cancelier (born 2 August 1959) is a French comedian and actor, primarily known for his collaborations with French film director Jean-Pierre Jeunet, and for playing Collignon in '' Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain''. Career As a theate ...

as Gaston *

Fabienne Chaudat Fabienne Chaudat (born 1 July 1959) is a French film and theatrical actress. Career Fabienne Chaudat attended the and then Jean-Laurent Cochet's classes, before starting her career. Theater Filmography References External links * * ...

as Odette * Damien Jouillerot as Benoît * George Claisse as Guardian of the Sanctuary * Roland Marchisio as The jeweler * Patrick Ligardes as Constable Petit * Franck Adrien as Constable Chopper

References

External links

* {{Portal bar, Film 2004 films 2000s French-language films French drama films French aviation films 2004 drama films Films directed by Gilles Legrand Warner Bros. films 2000s French films