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| Les amitiés particulières | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Jean Delannoy |
| Written by | Jean Aurenche Pierre Bost Roger Peyrefitte (novel) |
| Produced by | Christine Gouze-Rénal |
| Starring | Francis Lacombrade Didier Haudepin François Leccia Dominique Maurin |
| Cinematography | Christian Matras |
| Edited by | Louisette Hautecoeur |
| Music by | Jean Prodromidès |
Production companies | Lux Film Progéfi |
| Distributed by | Pathé Contemporary Films (US) |
Release dates |
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Running time | 100 minutes |
| Country | France |
| Language | French |
Les amitiés particulières (English:Special Friendships) is a 1964 film adaptation of theRoger Peyrefitte novelof the same name, directed byJean Delannoy. It was released in 1967 with English subtitles asThis Special Friendship. It stars Francis Lacombrade andDidier Haudepin as boys at an upper-class Catholicboarding school, whose chaste but intimate friendship is discouraged as sinful by the priests (played byLouis Seigner,Michel Bouquet, andLucien Nat).
In 1912, 14-year-old Georges de Sarre enters Saint-Claude, a strict Catholic boarding school. He discovers clandestine relationships among students and forms a deep bond with 12-year-old Alexandre Motier. Their discreet friendship is initially threatened by Father Trennes, whom Georges exposes for misconduct. However, their correspondence is later discovered by Father Lauzon, who forces Georges to return Alexandre's love letters.
Heartbroken, Alexandre tears up Georges' letters during his train ride home and commits suicide by jumping from the moving carriage. At the funeral, Father Lauzon denies responsibility for the tragedy, while Georges secretly mourns his lost love, having written a final letter about their planned summer reunion. Director Delannoy frames the story as "emotions we experience on the threshold of adolescence," leaving the physical nature of their relationship ambiguous.
The film was shot over six weeks atRoyaumont Abbey, Senlis Cathedral, and Saint-Maurice studios. Producer Christine Gouze-Rénal (sister-in-law of future presidentFrançois Mitterrand) secured locations despite initial resistance from the Catholic Church.
21-year-old Francis Lacombrade (Georges) and 12-year-old Didier Haudepin (Alexandre) formed a strong off-screen bond, with Haudepin later recalling Lacombrade's protective nature during filming. Author Roger Peyrefitte visited the set and began a controversial relationship with 12-year-old extraAlain-Philippe Malagnac, later chronicled in his memoirs.
The production faced early censorship challenges, with Catholic authorities attempting to block its release. A public feud erupted when novelistFrançois Mauriac condemned the film inLe Figaro, prompting Peyrefitte to publish a scathing open letter outing Mauriac's repressed homosexuality inArts magazine.
The film premiered at the14th Berlin International Film Festival in 1964[1] and represented France at the1965 Venice Film Festival. Competing during a contentious Berlinale edition marked by artistic criticism and Cold War tensions,[2] the festival jury chaired by Anthony Mann controversially awarded the Golden Bear toDry Summer instead.[1] Initial screenings faced institutional resistance, with Catholic groups pressuring for an under-18 viewing ban in France,[3] though the restriction was later lifted after critical acclaim.
James Travers of Filmsdefrance.com praised the "raw edge, poetry and spiritual intensity" of the lead performances, noting the film's critique of societal hypocrisy.[4] The October 1974 prime-time broadcast onAntenne 2, followed by a televised debate on forbidden loves, marked a cultural milestone in French LGBTQ+ representation.
Manga artistMoto Hagio cited the film as a key inspiration for her groundbreaking 1974 workThe Heart of Thomas, particularly its exploration of adolescent emotional intensity.