Les invasions Barbares The Barbarian Invasions (French: Les Invasions barbares) is a 2003 French-Canadian comedy-drama film written and directed by Denys Arcand. It is the sequel to Arcand`s earlier film The Decline of the American Empire and is followed by Days of Darkness. The film was produced by companies from both Canada and France, including Telefilm Canada, Société Radio-Canada and Canal+. It was released in 2003 and won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film at the 76th Academy Awards in 2004. Plot Continuing seventeen years after Arcand`s The Decline of the American Empire, the film centres on an exploration of the characters first met in the original film and their children, newly introduced. The older generation are still largely social-democrats and proponents of Quebec nationalism, but both political and economic developments after the “Quiet Revolution” of the 1960s, as well as their own aging, make their left-wing stance seem somewhat anachronistic. The plot revolves around the character Rémy`s battle with terminal cancer, and the efforts of Sébastien, his estranged son to make his dying father more comfortable in his last days. Finally the father and son travel to Vermont in the United States to receive medical care. Sébastien, at the request of Rémy`s ex-wife Louise, has reluctantly returned from London where he has a successful career in quantitative finance - anathema to his father`s socialist persuasions. However, this background helps Sébastien to navigate and manipulate Quebec`s healthcare system (portrayed as somewhat overloaded in the film) to secure better care for his father. In the process, he also gathers the various other friends and family members from Rémy`s past who come to visit and comfort him. During Rémy`s last days, he and his friends travel to the cottage of the first film, and discuss philosophy, politics, and past sexual and intellectual exploits. Directed by Denys Arcand Produced by Daniel Louis Denise Robert Written by Denys Arcand Starring Rémy Girard Stéphane Rousseau Dorothée Berryman Louise Portal Marie-Josée Croze Marina Hands Music by Pierre Aviat Cinematography Guy Dufaux Edited by Isabelle Dedieu Production company Canal+, Telefilm Canada Distributed by Pyramide Distribution (France) Vivafilm (Canada) Miramax Films (US) Release dates 21 May 2003 (Cannes) 24 September 2003 Running time 112 minutes Country Canada France Language French English