The Barbarian Invasions
Les invasions barbares
“A comedy about sex, friendship, and all other things that invade our lives.”
Synopsis
In this belated sequel to 'The Decline of the American Empire', middle-aged Montreal college professor, Remy, learns that he is dying of liver cancer. His ex-wife, Louise, asks their estranged son, Sebastian, a successful businessman living in London, to come home. Sebastian makes the impossible happen, using his contacts and disrupting the Canadian healthcare system in every way possible to help his father fight his terminal illness to the bitter end, while reuniting some of Remy's old friends, including Pierre, Alain, Dominique, Diane, and Claude, who return to see their friend before he passes on.
Part of the The Decline of the American Empire Collection
Stream the entire interconnected saga and experience every installment in chronological storyline order.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
The Barbarian Invasions (Les Invasions barbares) [Oscar's Best Foreign Movie]
Type: Trailer • Published 2010-02-12
Top Cast
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Rémy Girard
Rémy
Stéphane Rousseau
Sébastien
Marie-Josée Croze
Nathalie
Dorothée Berryman
Louise
Louise Portal
Diane Leonard
Dominique Michel
Dominique St. Arnaud
Pierre Curzi
Pierre Citrouillard
Yves Jacques
Claude
Marina Hands
Gaëlle
Sophie Lorain
First Lover
Johanne-Marie Tremblay
Sister Constance Lazure
Mitsou Gélinas
Ghislaine
Isabelle Blais
Sylvaine
Markita Boies
Nurse Suzanne
Micheline Lanctôt
Nurse Carole
Denis Bouchard
Duhamel
Sylvie Drapeau
Second Lover
Dominic Darceuil
Maxime
Release History & Theatrical Window
São Paulo International Film Festival
Festival / Special Debut
November 21, 2003
Wide Cinema Exhibition
August 30, 2004
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$8M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$34.9M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
4.36x
+$26.9M net gain
Theatrical Status
Mega Hit
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Denys Arcand
- Screenplay & Story
- Denys Arcand
- Original Score
- Pierre Aviat
- Original Title
- Les invasions barbares
- Country of Origin
- Canada, France
- Spoken Languages
- French, English
- Runtime
- 1h 39m
- Production Budget
- $8M
- Worldwide Gross
- $34.9M
- Production Studios
- Pyramide Productions, Cinémaginaire, Production Barbares, Alliance Atlantis
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Denys Arcand
Denys Arcand
Pierre Aviat
Guy Dufaux
Isabelle Dedieu
Denise Robert, Daniel Louis
Department Leadership Roster
Denys Arcand
Director
Pierre Aviat
Original Music Composer
Denise Robert
Producer
Isabelle Dedieu
Editor
Daniel Louis
Producer
Guy Dufaux
Director of Photography
François Séguin
Production Design
Denis Sperdouklis
Costume Design
Denys Arcand
Screenplay
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
International Certification Matrix
Tous publics — Universal audience.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for The Barbarian Invasions.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring The Barbarian Invasions.
1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die
1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die (All editions 2003-2024). A cumulative list including films subsequently removed in later editions. Totaling 1,260 films as of Nov 2024. 《1001部死前必看的电影》（2003-2024 全版本累积版）： 包含自2003年首版至2024年11月德语版修订的所有影片。即使在后期版本中被剔除的电影也予以保留。 *注：榜单源数据中包含部分剧集/迷你剧，由于本片单只收录纯电影，故不再收录以下非电影条目：* • [#019] Lovers Rock (2020) • [#418] Dekalog (1989) *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-19 07:37:48 UTC+8)*
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Barbarian Invasions
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Barbarian Invasions about?
In this belated sequel to 'The Decline of the American Empire', middle-aged Montreal college professor, Remy, learns that he is dying of liver cancer. His ex-wife, Louise, asks their estranged son, Sebastian, a successful businessman living in London, to come home. Sebastian makes the impossible happen, using his contacts and disrupting the Canadian healthcare system in every way possible to help his father fight his terminal illness to the bitter end, while reuniting some of Remy's old friends, including Pierre, Alain, Dominique, Diane, and Claude, who return to see their friend before he passes on.
Who directed The Barbarian Invasions?
The Barbarian Invasions was directed by Denys Arcand.
Who stars in The Barbarian Invasions?
The principal cast of The Barbarian Invasions includes Rémy Girard, Stéphane Rousseau, Marie-Josée Croze, Dorothée Berryman, Louise Portal.
When was The Barbarian Invasions released and how long is it?
The Barbarian Invasions was released in 2003 with a total runtime of 1h 39m.
What was the box office and production budget of The Barbarian Invasions?
The Barbarian Invasions had a reported production budget of $8M and grossed $34.9M at the worldwide box office (4.36 return on budget, classified as a blockbuster success).
Who composed the musical score for The Barbarian Invasions?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The Barbarian Invasions was composed by Pierre Aviat.
What is the age rating and content advisory for The Barbarian Invasions?
The Barbarian Invasions holds official age classifications: FR: U (Tous publics — Universal audience.).