WELCOME TO THE LAND OF CH'TIS (Bienvenue chez les Ch’tis) North American Premiere Comedy France, 2008 In French with English subtitles 35mm/Scope/2.35:1/Color/Dolby DTS Sound/106 min Directed by: Dany Boon Written by: Dany Boon, Alexandre Charlot, Franck Magnier Cinematography: Pierre Aïm Editor: Luc Barnier Music: Philippe Rombi Produced by: Claude Berri, Jérome Seydoux Production Company: Hirsh, Pathé Renn Productions Co-production: TF1 Films Production, Les Productions du Ch’Timi, CCRAV With: Kad Merad (Philippe Abrams), Dany Boon (Antoine Bailleul), Zoé Félix (Julie Abrams), Line Renaud (Antoine’s mother), Philippe Duquesne (Fabrice Canoli), Michel Galabru (Julie’s great uncle), Lorenzo Ausilia-Foret (Raphaël Abrams), Patrick Bosso (the policeman), Alexandre Carrière (Tony), Jenny Clève (granny “Quinquin”), Jérôme Commandeur (Inspector Lebic), Stéphane Freiss (Jean), Guy Lecluyse (Yann Vandernoout), Anne Marivin (Annabelle Deconninck), Fred Personne (Mr. Vasseur), Christophe Rossignon (the waiter) Zinedine Soualem (Momo) www.bienvenuechezleschtis-lefilm.com Starring French comic Kad Merad (The Chorus) as Philippe, a postal worker forced to relocate in the North of France, Welcome to the Land of ch'tis is a comedy about overcoming prejudice and accepting differences. A southern man who sees the North as a post-industrial wasteland inhabited by coarse locals speaking the incomprehensible “Ch’ti” dialect, Philippe meets Antoine, (co-writer/director Dany Boon), a friendly mailman who introduces him to the locals. Through Antoine, he learns to know and appreciate the land and its people, but keeps telling his wife back home that he is living a nightmare. All is well until she decides to join him. DANY BOON Dany Boon is one of France’s most successful stand-up comedians. As an actor, he has recently worked with Patrice Leconte (My Best Friend) and Francis Veber (The Valet (COLCOA 2006). A native of the North, Dany Boon has often used his regional dialect and accent in his one-man shows or in films such as Merry Christmas. In Welcome to the Land of ch'tis, he transcends the regional reference to deliver a humanistic film with a universal message. His second feature as writer-director, Welcome to the Land of ch'tis broke historical box office records the week of its French release in March 2008 and has become a true phenomenon. PRESS “...Bienvenue chez les Ch'tis has been a bolt-from-the-blue phenomenon. Its simple, sex- and violence-free tale about normal, unappreciated people has many critics comparing it the 2001 French smash hit Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain (Amélie in the U.S.)... The unapologetically feel-good movie is the work of stand-up comic and native Ch'ti Danny Boon, who plays the role of Bailleul... But there's more at work than simple entertainment.”(Time magazine) “Bienvenue chez les Ch’tis is the only magic potion that will make you feel better” (Paris Match) “Well written, excellent acting... We hadn’t laughed like this or been moved by such simple things and such true friendships for a long time...”(Le Parisien)