Promise at Dawn

Nominated for four César Awards, Promise at Dawn is as much an epic autobiographical account of the extraordinary life of renowned writer and war hero, Romain Gary (Pierre Niney, Yves Saint Laurent), as it is a heartfelt testament to the special bond shared between a Jewish mother and son. From Romain’s difficult childhood in Poland to his enlistment in the French Air Force, his mother Nina (Charlotte Gainsbourg, MJFF 2018’s Ismael’s Ghosts), remains an eternal source of love and guidance. While her frequent declarations of her son’s future fame and glory make both of them a source of ridicule at times, her passion and high expectations for Romain push him to become one of France’s greatest 20th-century novelists and live his life replete with passion, adventure, and mystery. From the picturesque paradise of pre-war French Riviera to the sunbaked sand dunes of the Maghreb, Promise at Dawn’s shimmery gold-tinted palette evokes the old Hollywood grandeur of yesteryear.