Me, Myself and Mum

Me, Myself and Mum

Company type	Film
Industry	Motion picture
Founded	2013
Founder	Guillaume Gallienne
Products	Film

Me, Myself and Mum () is a 2013 French autobiographical comedy centered on coming-of-age themes, both written and directed by Guillaume Gallienne, who also stars in the film. Adapted from his theatrical solo performance, it explores Guillaume's path toward self-understanding and his complex bond with his mother.

The movie debuted at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival and was subsequently released in France on 20 November 2013. In January 2014, it garnered 10 nominations at the César Award ceremony, securing five wins, including honors for Best Film and Best First Feature Film.

Plot

Within a theatre setting, Guillaume narrates episodes from his childhood. As a boy displaying feminine traits, his mother often disregards his mannerisms. When he expresses a desire to learn Spanish, she arranges for him to stay in La Línea de la Concepción with Paqui, a Spanish woman who teaches him to perform the sevillanas. Despite being mocked at a local celebration, Guillaume fails to understand why Pilar refuses to dance with him, unaware that his style is perceived as girlish—something he believes would win his mother’s approval.

Captivated by his mother’s persona, Guillaume mimics her voice when speaking to relatives. His father disapproves of these behaviors and enrolls him in an all-male boarding school. After facing bullying and undergoing psychiatric evaluation, his parents transfer him to an English boarding institution where he flourishes and develops feelings for a boy named Jeremy. Devastated upon learning Jeremy is involved with a girl, Guillaume discovers from his mother that he is gay—a revelation previously unknown to him—and is excused from mandatory military service due to emotional vulnerability.

Following psychological therapy, Guillaume visits a Bavarian spa for recuperation. Encouraged by his aunt to explore his sexuality, he encounters awkward experiences while attempting to engage with men. Eventually, he meets Amandine at a dinner gathering; they fall in love and become engaged. When revealing this to his mother, she questions his sexual orientation, exposing her fear of losing him to another woman.

Cast

• Guillaume Gallienne as Guillaume/Mother
• André Marcon as Father
• Françoise Fabian as Babou
• as Paqui
• Diane Kruger as Ingeborg
• Reda Kateb as Karim
• Götz Otto as Raymund
• Françoise Lépine as Mom theater
• Brigitte Catillon as the American aunt
• as the multi-lingual aunt
• Charlie Anson as Jeremy
• Hervé Pierre as the Army psychiatrist

Production

The film is based on Gallienne’s acclaimed 2008 solo stage production at Théâtre de l’Ouest Parisien. He co-authored the screenplay with Claude Mathieu and Nikolas Vassiliev. Produced by LGM Productions, Rectangle Productions, and Gaumont, principal photography occurred in Paris during July 2012.

In a 2014 discussion with The Guardian, Gallienne explained that the idea emerged during therapy sessions, which helped unify various life stories. He recounted in Le Monde how his childhood femininity led others to make assumptions about his sexuality. The original French title—”Boys, Guillaume, dinner is served!“—is drawn from a phrase used by his mother to differentiate him from his more traditionally masculine siblings.

The theatrical piece was translated into German by Karolina Fell and published by Rowohlt Verlag. Its first international staging titled "Maman und ich" premiered at Theater O-TonArt in Berlin on 30 September 2016, featuring André Fischer under Alexander Katt’s direction.

Reception

The film received largely favorable reviews, achieving an average rating of 3.9 out of 5 on AlloCiné from 23 critics. Stephen Dalton of The Hollywood Reporter characterized it as "sweet and sunny and shamelessly sentimental," while also noting its "hints of Pedro Almodovar." Peter Debruge from Variety described the movie as a "self-effacing crowd-pleaser," comparing Gallienne to a "curly-haired iteration of American comedian Tony Hale." Gallienne's acting was especially commended; Cyrille Latour of Template:Interlanguage link multi praised the performance for its "extraordinary blend of humor, tenderness, and harshness." Observers drew parallels between Gallienne's character and Dustin Hoffman's role in Tootsie. Conversely, Julien Kojfer writing for L'Obs found fault with the film’s reliance on stereotypical character portrayals.

Charlotte Pudlowski from Slate highlighted the film’s timely social commentary amid discussions surrounding same-sex marriage in France, pointing out its distinctive narrative involving a boy assumed to be gay who ultimately marries a woman. She also contrasted it with the more explicit 2013 Palme d’Or recipient, Blue Is the Warmest Colour.

Me, Myself and Mum earned $24 million globally, including $22.5 million from the French market. It ranked as the fifth strongest opening in France during 2013, debuting at number one with 69,342 tickets sold across 406 screens during its opening week. The film was featured in the Directors' Fortnight section at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival, where it received a standing ovation. It garnered both the Art Cinema Award and the Prix SACD. In January 2014, it secured ten nominations at the 39th César Awards, ultimately winning Best Film and Best First Feature Film.

Accolades

Award	Category	Nominee(s)	Result
19th Lumière Awards	Best First Film	Me, Myself and Mum	Template:Won
	Best Actor	Guillaume Gallienne	Template:Won
39th César Awards	Best Film	Me, Myself and Mum	Template:Won
	Best First Feature Film	Me, Myself and Mum	Template:Won
	Best Director	Guillaume Gallienne	Template:Nom
	Best Actor	Guillaume Gallienne	Template:Won
	Best Supporting Actress	Françoise Fabian	Template:Nom
	Best Adaptation	Guillaume Gallienne	Template:Won
	Best Editing	Valérie Deseine	Template:Won
	Best Sound	Marc-Antoine Beldent, Loic Prian, Olivier Do Huu	Template:Nom
	Best Costume Design	Olivier Beriot	Template:Nom
	Best Production Design	Sylive Olive	Template:Nom
2013 Deauville American Film Festival	Prix Michel d'Ornano (debut French film)	Guillaume Gallienne	Template:Won