<Tr> <Th> Budget </Th> <Td> $10 million </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Box office </Th> <Td> $173.9 million </Td> </Tr> <P> Amélie (also known as Le fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain; French pronunciation: ​ (lə. fa. by. lø. dɛs. tɛ̃. da. me. li. puˈlɛ̃); English: The Fabulous Destiny of Amélie Poulain) is a 2001 French romantic comedy film directed by Jean - Pierre Jeunet . Written by Jeunet with Guillaume Laurant, the film is a whimsical depiction of contemporary Parisian life, set in Montmartre . It tells the story of a shy waitress, played by Audrey Tautou, who decides to change the lives of those around her for the better, while struggling with her own isolation . The film was a co-production between companies in France and Germany . Taking in over $33 million in a limited theatrical release, it is to date the highest - grossing French - language film released in the United States, and one of the biggest international successes for a French movie . </P> <P> The film received critical acclaim and was a major box office success . Amélie won Best Film at the European Film Awards; it also won four César Awards in 2002 (including Best Film and Best Director), two BAFTA Awards (including Best Original Screenplay), and was nominated for five Academy Awards . </P>

What is the meaning of the film amelie