Les 4 saisons d'Espigoule (1999): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 1999, Les 4 saisons d'Espigoule is a comedy and documentary film directed by Christian Philibert, running about 97 minutes.

What it’s about. Filmmaker Christian Philibert takes a tongue-in-cheek look at his old hometown in this mock-documentary about a small French community and the people who live there. In Les 4 Saisons d'Espigoule, Philibert returns to the town where he grew up (and left when he was 25) to film the residents for a year. In addition to capturing Espigoule's annual Goat Rodeo and New Year's Eve costumes, the audience gets an inside look at the backbone of the local economy (sheep herding) and a night of big excitement (a bingo match). We also meet a few of the locals, who show off their talents (painting, classical piano, imitating Liza Minnelli). While scripted in advance by Philibert, the film was indeed shot in his hometown, and the "actors" playing the citizens of Espigoule actually do live there.

Who’s in it. Les 4 saisons d'Espigoule stars Jacques Bastide as Le poète, Jean-Marc Ravera as Le patron du café, Fernande Béraud as La « râleuse » and Alain Passet as Le peintre rebelle, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 7.1/10, Les 4 saisons d'Espigoule has been warmly received by audiences.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Les 4 saisons d'Espigoule page.

If you liked it. Fans of Les 4 saisons d'Espigoule tend to enjoy Forrest Gump, Parasite, Life Is Beautiful and Fight Club.