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The Elephant and the Butterfly

Play trailer Poster for The Elephant and the Butterfly 2018 1h 26m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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Tomatometer 4 Reviews 78% Popcornmeter Fewer than 50 Ratings
A man returns to his hometown and reunites with his former lover and the daughter he has never met.
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The Elephant and the Butterfly

Critics Reviews

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Gary Goldstein Los Angeles Times Sep 13, 2018
Belgian director Amélie van Elmbt's lovely trifle The Elephant and the Butterfly is as sweet and gentle -- and at times simplistic -- as its storybook title may imply. Go to Full Review Owen Gleiberman Variety Apr 30, 2018
It says something about the film that it's impossible to watch without imagining the even moister American remake. Go to Full Review Richard Propes TheIndependentCritic.com Sep 7, 2020
3.5/4.0
The film benefits greatly from the adorable yet equally gifted Doillon. Go to Full Review Jennie Kermode Eye for Film Feb 27, 2019
4.5/5
Beautifully shot and lit in a way that brings out all the richness of detail Elsa sees in the world, this is a beautiful piece of filmmaking. It's gentle, leisurely and likely to melt the hardest of hearts. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Alain E @AlainE May 11, 2026 The movie opens with a series of improbabilities that we are called to accept as facts. A man shows up at a house where a single mother is waiting for the babysitter to show up, so she can leave on a trip with her boyfriend. It appears that he is the father of the little girl who is not in contact, so the little girl doesn’t recognize him. The mother kicks him out, but when the babysitter continues to be MIA the mother changes her mind and leaves him in charge of her house and her daughter! This establishes the way the story goes. On Tubi. See more Apr 27, 2021 So tender real and natural it feels like voyuerism not acting. The young girl is so expressive and convincing. So realistic is the dialogue it's as if taken from real life. Tender real french cinema about heartfelt family matters. Do skillfully done See more Sep 9, 2018 A very well structured film with great character development. The ending leaves you feeling optimistic. See more Read all reviews
The Elephant and the Butterfly

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Cast & Crew

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Amélie van Elmbt

Director

Isabelle Barth

Chloé

Thomas Blanchard

Antoine

Judith Chemla

Camille

Kristof Coenen

Matisse

Alice de Lencquesaing

Alice
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The Elephant and the Butterfly

The Elephant and the Butterfly (2017) The Elephant and the Butterfly (2017) The Elephant and the Butterfly (2017) The Elephant and the Butterfly (2017) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis A man returns to his hometown and reunites with his former lover and the daughter he has never met.
Director
Amélie van Elmbt
Producer
Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne
Screenwriter
Amélie van Elmbt, Matthieu de Braconier
Distributor
Blue Fox Entertainment
Production Co
Les Films du Fleuve, Verdi Productions, Why Not Productions
Genre
Drama
Original Language
French (France)
Release Date (Theaters)
Aug 24, 2018, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Jul 19, 2018
Runtime
1h 26m
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