Malevil

Malevil is a 1981 Franco–West German post-apocalyptic film directed by Christian de Chalonge, freely adapted from Robert Merle's 1972 science fiction novel of the same name. A group of people gathered in the cellars of the rural Malevil castle realize that a nuclear catastrophe has devastated the world outside. With civilization in ruins, the survivors set about building a new community around the castle, working the land again and facing the dangers that emerge in this harsh new reality. Rather than relying on the special effects typical of the genre, the film adopts a restrained, sober style and concentrates on solidarity, reconstruction and the effort to live together. The picture marked a turning point for de Chalonge, who had previously worked mainly in documentary, and it gave Michel Serrault and Robert Dhéry — long confined to comic parts — the chance to prove themselves in dramatic roles. Jean-Louis Trintignant, Jacques Dutronc, Jacques Villeret and Michel Berto also appear. Well received by critics, the film drew more than 1.4 million admissions in France.