La Rivière Espérance is a French TV miniseries, consisting of 9 episodes of 90 minutes each, directed by Josée Dayan and adapted from Christian Signol's novel. It was broadcast on France 2 in 1995.
Synopsis 1832, Périgord: Benjamin and Marie are two childhood friends. Benjamin's father is a merchant sailor on the river Dordogne.
One day he says to his son: « When you're 13, I'll take you with me. » He keeps his promise and Benjamin becomes a sailor like his father. But in that circle, you have to be wary of everybody and of what they live for: the Dordogne.
Doing that job was Benjamin's dream, but could that dream become a nightmare? Fights with merchants and sailors sometimes finish off quite uglily. Will he be able to stay loyal to his friend Marie, or will his nightly "rendez-vous" with Emeline Lombard, daughter of the rich merchant on whom they depend, separate them?
Cast
Manuel Blanc : Benjamin Donardieu Carole Richert : Marie Paradou Claire Nebout : Emeline Lombard Jean-Claude Drouot : Victorien Donadieu Élisabeth Depardieu : Elina Donadieu Pascal Greggory : Alexandre Duthil Bernard Verley : Arsène Lombard Hélène Vincent : Agnès Lombard Raoul Billerey : priest of Souillac Arnaud Giovaninetti : Pierre Bourdelle Jean-Pierre Kalfon : Corentin Roger Souza : Félix Marcas Josée Dayan : Marin Borgne Aurélien Wiik : Benjamin at 13 Laura Martel : Marie at 13 Eugénia Costantini : Emeline at 13 Stephan Guérin-Tillie : Aubin Donnadieu Sandra Speichert : Virginie Duthil Philippe Clay : the Duthils' butler Jean-Yves Gauthier : Vincent Paradou Marianne Epin : Jeanne Paradou Quentin Ogier : Jean Paradou Thierry Rey : Ghilain Claveille François Négret : Jacques Malaurie Julie Dumas : Juliette Thierry Redler : Louis Lafaurie Emmanuelle Meyssignac : Madame Lasalle Hans Meyer : Commander Dugay Trouin Claude Faraldo : Ambroise Debord Jean-Louis Tribes : 'La Bourgogne' Didier Flamand : 'off' voice (summaries) Jennifer Lauret : Virginie at 13
External links IMDb entry