French movie about euthanasia?

February 1, 2010 9:59 PM

Several years ago, there was a foreign movie (French, I think) about euthanasia -- roughly, an old woman with some kind of illness decided to die and invited her family to her house for a final weekend before she injected herself with a poison. What's the name of this movie?
posted by Malad to Media & Arts (11 answers total)

Best answer: Was it Les Invasion barbares? The film is French-Canadian, the old woman is actually a man, the poison is an overdose of heroin, and the family is mostly friends, but perhaps this is the film you were thinking of?
posted by ssg at 10:06 PM on February 1, 2010

I was also wondering if it might have been Les Invasions barbares.
posted by scody at 10:07 PM on February 1, 2010

Yes, this is what I had in mind too.
posted by kch at 10:08 PM on February 1, 2010

Fourthing Les Invasion barbares. Unless, of course, that's not what you're looking for :/ But if it's not, you should watch it!
posted by fantastico at 10:57 PM on February 1, 2010

Yes, I'd be very surprised if this weren't the movie you're thinking of. (And like fantastico, I recommend seeing it!)
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 11:36 PM on February 1, 2010

There's also The Sea Within, which is a Spanish movie about a quadriplegic man fighting for the right to euthanasia. A lot of the movie centers around his volatile relationship with his family, but I don't think it shows a final weekend with them.
posted by elsewhen at 11:49 PM on February 1, 2010

That's also an element of Chocolat, which is more frenchish than french.
posted by Iteki at 1:17 AM on February 2, 2010

Could it be Summer Hours?
posted by Forktine at 6:12 AM on February 2, 2010

Response by poster: Yes, I think it is Invasion... thanks!
posted by Malad at 6:22 AM on February 2, 2010

I know you said it's probably Invasion, but there's a very similar plot in Il y a longtemps que je t'aime.

A doctor's son has a terminal illness, so she has a giant party for him over a weekend before giving him a lethal injection the next day.
posted by Solon and Thanks at 8:30 PM on February 2, 2010

Are you sure you're not thinking of Un conte de Noël (A Christmas Tale)?
posted by edlundart at 6:01 PM on February 3, 2010