France / May 01, 1996 / Cannes Film Festival
What a difference a day makes…
Overall average
5.0/10
Trailer

Videos
Plot
Georges has Down syndrome, living at a mental-institution, Harry is a busy businessman, giving lectures for young aspiring salesmen. He is successful in his business life, but his social life is a disaster since his wife left him and took their two children with her. This weekend his children came by train to meet him, but Harry, working as always, forgot to pick them up. Neither his wife or his children want to see him again and he is driving around on the country roads, anguished and angry. He almost runs over Georges, on the run from the institution since everybody else went home with their parents except him, whose mother is dead. Harry tries to get rid of Georges but he won't leave his new friend. Eventually a special friendship forms between the two of them, a friendship which makes Harry a different person.
Main cast
Full cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Sabrina Leurquin | Snack waitress |
| Dieudonné Kabongo | Dustman |
| Michele Maes | Nathalie |
| Alice van Dormael | Alice |
| Marie-Pierre Meinzel | Shoe store saleswoman |
| Laszlo Harmati | Luis Mariano |
| Dominique Lecat | Band Member |
| Roland De Pauw | TV Chef |
| Jo De Backer | Bridegroom |
| Lotfi Yahya Jedidi | Dustman |
| André Simon | Tramp |
| Monique Florin | Nathalie's mother |
| Jean Bollery | Nathalie's father |
| Jean-Henri Compère | Educator |
| Dominic Gould | Harry's colleague |
| Josse De Pauw | Policeman of police station |
| Alexandre von Sivers | Doctor |
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| Christian Hecq | Shoe store manager |
| Saleem Ebrahim | Hindu |
| Rémy Julienne | Lorry driver |
| Didier De Neck | Fabienne's husband |
| Pierre Godeau | George's nephew |
| Marie Godeau | Georges' niece |
| Éric De Staercke | Snack waiter |
| Olivier Gourmet | Father in restaurant |
| Hélène Roussel | Julie's mother |
| Tam Vo | Japanese pianist |
| Didier Ferney | Showroom salesman |
| Marc Schreiber | Showroom salesman |
| Yves Degen | Showroom manager |
| Georges Siatidis | Showroom policeman |
| Raymond Lescot | Bigwig |
| Bernard Eylenbosch | Dancing boy |
| Gérard Hernandez | (voice) |
| Patricia Houyoux | (voice) |
| Jacqueline Ghaye | (voice) |
| Freddy Bournane | Dustman (uncredited) |
| Christopher Granier-Deferre | English teacher (voice) (uncredited) |
Genres
Technical details
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Original title | Le Huitième Jour |
| Original language | Français (FR) |
| Spoken languages | Français |
| Production countries | Belgium, France, United Kingdom |
| Status | Released |
| Production companies | D. A. Films, Working Title Films, Pan-Européenne, TF1 Films Production, RTL-TVi |
| Release date | 22 maggio 1996 |
| Production | Philippe Godeau |
| Writer | Jaco Van Dormael |
| Editing | Susana Rossberg |
| Cinematography | Walther van den Ende |
| Assistant directors | Renaud Alcalde, Jaco Van Dormael |
| Camera operators | Walther van den Ende |
| Additional photography | Walther van den Ende |
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| Production design | Hubert Pouille, André Fonsny |
| Art direction | Hubert Pouille, André Fonsny |
| Set decoration | André Fonsny, Hubert Pouille |
| Stunts | Rémy Julienne |
| Music | Pierre van Dormael, Bruno Tarrière, Dominique Warnier, François Groult |
| Sound | Pierre van Dormael, Bruno Tarrière, Dominique Warnier, François Groult |
| Costume design | Yan Tax, Kaatje Van Damme |
| Makeup | Kaatje Van Damme, Yan Tax |
| Hairstyling | Yan Tax, Kaatje Van Damme |
Release dates
Premiere
South Korea / Sep 01, 1996 / Pusan International Film Festival
United States / Oct 01, 1996 / Chicago International Film Festival
Singapore / Apr 07, 1997 / Singapore International Film Festival
Theatrical release
France / May 22, 1996 / TP
Switzerland / May 24, 1996
Canada / Jun 21, 1996
Argentina / Jul 25, 1996
Show more (19)Show less
Türkiye / Aug 30, 1996
Italy / Oct 04, 1996
Spain / Oct 18, 1996
South Korea / Oct 26, 1996 / 15
Netherlands / Nov 07, 1996 / 6
United Kingdom / Nov 07, 1996
Germany / Dec 05, 1996
Sweden / Jan 17, 1997
Czechia / Mar 06, 1997 / U
United States / Mar 07, 1997 / NR
Japan / May 24, 1997
Poland / May 28, 1997
Uruguay / Jun 27, 1997
Portugal / Jul 11, 1997
Denmark / Aug 15, 1997
Hong Kong / Sep 04, 1997
Mexico / Sep 05, 1997
Brazil / Sep 12, 1997
Hungary / Jan 01, 1998
Physical media
Netherlands / Aug 07, 2014 / 6 / DVD
TV
France / Dec 03, 2025 / Novo19
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