Violins at the Ball (1974)
Violins at the Ball (1974), directed by Michel Drach, starring Jean-Louis Trintignant and Gabrielle Doulcet.
score
Synopsis
In this WW II drama based on an autobiographical story by director Michel Drach, a Jewish boy and his family living in Nazi occupied France, attempt to escape the cruel invaders. Later the boy grows up to become a filmmaker obsessed with chronicling his childhood.
- William LubtchanskyCinematography
- Michel DrachDirector
- Geneviève WindingEditing
- Jean-Manuel de ScaranoOriginal music
About the film
Violins at the Ball (French: Les Violons du bal) is a 1974 French drama film directed by Michel Drach. It was entered into the 1974 Cannes Film Festival where Marie-José Nat won the award for Best Actress.
Read the full article (1k characters)
Violins at the Ball (French: Les Violons du bal) is a 1974 French drama film directed by Michel Drach. It was entered into the 1974 Cannes Film Festival where Marie-José Nat won the award for Best Actress.
Cast
Jean-Louis Trintignant – Lui (Michel)
Marie-José Nat – Elle (La femme et la mère de Michel) / Michel's wife
Gabrielle Doulcet – La grand-mère
David Drach – L'enfant
Nathalie Roussel – La soeur de Michel / Michel's Sister
Christian Rist – Le frère de Michel et le contestataire / Michel's Brother
Yves Afonso – Le cameraman
Yvon Yak – Le premier producteur
Noëlle Leiris – La comtesse
Luce Fabiole – La boulangère
Malvina Penne – La réfugiée rousse
Paul Le Person – Le premier passeur
Guy Saint-Jean – Le second passeur
François Leccia – Le jeune passeur
Guido Alberti – Le producteur italien
Hella Petri – La femme du producteur
References
External links
Violins at the Ball at IMDb
Text from Violins at the Ball on Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Violins_at_the_Ball
Trivia
- It premiered on June 2, 1974, a Sunday.
- It runs 1h50 — a typical feature length.
- Its original title is "Les Violons du bal".
- As of September 20, 2026, it is available in Brazil by subscription on Belas Artes à La Carte.
- This film's quiz has 11 questions — enough to play more than once without repeats.
Production
- StudiosPort Royal Films, ORTF
- CountriesFrance
- LanguagesFrench
- StatusReleased
Where to watch
Cast
-
Jean-Louis Trintignant
Him (Michel) -
Gabrielle Doulcet
Mélanie, Michel's grandmother - David Drach The child
-
Nathalie Roussel
Michel's sister -
Marie-José Nat
She, Michel's wife -
Michel Drach
Michel
Quiz about this movie
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6.7
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7.3
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The One That Got Away
6.8
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A Pedra de Paciência
7.0
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The Kill Team - Dilemas da Guerra
6.5
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Uma História de Sobrevivência
7.0
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Ararat
6.1
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Cinzas da Guerra
6.6
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Herói de Sangue
6.0
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15 Minutos de Guerra
6.8
Tags
Crew
- William Lubtchansky Cinematography
- Michel Drach Director
- Geneviève Winding Editing
- Jean-Manuel de Scarano Original music
- Monty Original music
Questions about this film
What is Violins at the Ball about?
Violins at the Ball: In this WW II drama based on an autobiographical story by director Michel Drach, a Jewish boy and his family living in Nazi occupied France, attempt to escape the cruel invaders. Later the boy grows up to become a filmmaker obsessed with chronicling his childhood.
Who directed Violins at the Ball?
Violins at the Ball was directed by Michel Drach in 1974.
Who stars in Violins at the Ball?
The cast of Violins at the Ball includes Jean-Louis Trintignant, Gabrielle Doulcet, David Drach, Nathalie Roussel and Marie-José Nat.
How long is Violins at the Ball?
Violins at the Ball runs for 110 minutes, or 1h50.
Where can I watch Violins at the Ball?
Violins at the Ball is available on Belas Artes à La Carte. Availability changes often: the list on this page is the most recent we received.
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Page updated on 09/14/2026.
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