Intouchables

Based on the true story of French businessman Philippe Pozzo di Borgo and his caregiver Abdel Sellou, this film recounts the unlikely friendship between wealthy quadriplegic Philippe and his caregiver Driss, a young man from Paris’ disenfranchised banlieues. The two meet when Philippe finds himself in need of a caregiver and conducting interviews to that purpose. Driss presents himself at the job interview not in search of employment, but rather seeking a signature attesting to the fact that he has attempted to find work and been unsuccessful, so that he can collect his job seeker’s allowance. Philippe, feeling seen by Driss as an individual, rather than pitied, hires him despite his apparent lack of qualifications. As they come to care for and trust one another, each man turns the other’s life around: Through Driss, who provides him with the companionship and proper care he has been lacking, Philippe rediscovers how to enjoy life for the first time since the death of his late wife, and the paragliding accident which left him disabled. Through caring for Philippe, Driss in turn develops a sense of responsibility. Eventually, Driss must return to his family, leaving Philippe, who becomes quite depressed in the absence of his friend and of the exceptional care Driss provided. Informed of Philippe’s deteriorating mental condition, Driss takes Philippe on a road trip, cleans him up (shaving him etc.), and finally sets him up on a date with Eléonore at the film’s conclusion. Eléonore, it is implied, will become the companion and caregiver who, like Driss, will make Philippe’s life worth living.

‘Intouchables’ was incredibly successful worldwide. It won several international awards, and was nominated for many others. It was furthermore praised, in France, for its depictions of racial and class-based difference—American critics, meanwhile, found it to be both lacking and superficial in this regard. While the film does not address the topic of euthanasia head on, it has been compared, in its depiction of disability, to the 2016 film ‘Me Before You’. The films share similar premises, however, the paralyzed protagonist in ‘Me Before You’ chooses, despite the love and care of his caregiver, to have an assisted death. That Philippe chooses to live demonstrates, to the mind of Alex Bailey of ‘The Conversation’ ‘that one can find meaning and satisfaction in spite of – if not through – disability,’ as opposed to what Bailey reads as the ‘pro-euthanasia subtext’ of ‘Me Before You’. Philippe Pozzo di Borgo was furthermore, up until his death in 2023, a vocal opponent of the legalization of euthanasia, sponsoring the French collective ‘Soulager mais pas tuer’ as of 2014. He spoke at anti-euthanasia press conferences, arguing that the legalization of assisted-dying or euthanasia would put pressure on disabled citizens to choose to die, rather than encourage them to find value and meaning in their lives with the help of proper care. ‘Intouchables’, as well as statements made by Philippe Pozzo di Borgo, have been cited in both the Assemblée nationale and the Deutscher Bundestag in making arguments against the legalization of assisted dying and euthanasia. 

Suggested Citation: Intouchables, Assisted Lab: A Living Archive of Assisted Dying, 18 March 2024 <link>