In 2016, writer/director Julien Rappeneau’s comedy Rosalie Blum broke all-time Festival attendance records and achieved major success in its Australian theatrical release. The film was adapted from a graphic novel, and the form has delivered another winner for Rappeneau with this anticipated follow-up.
Impressionable 12-year old Théo (star-in-the-making Maleaume Paquin, AF FFF19, Rémi, Nobody’s Boy) is nicknamed Fourmi – ‘Ant’ – due to his diminutive stature. He wants nothing more than to offer hope to his disillusioned father, Laurent (the wonderful François Damiens, from AF FFF15, The Belier Family and AF FFF17, Just to Be Sure), a loving but lonely man struggling to deal with both retrenchment and separation from Théo’s mother Chloé (Ludivine Sagnier, AF FFF 19, Rémi, Nobody’s Boy).
An opportunity comes when Théo is invited to try out for the youth training programme of English football club Arsenal. Despite showing obvious talent, he’s rejected for being too small, but doesn’t have the heart to impose yet another disappointment on his father. So Théo impulsively articulates a well-meaning fiction... one that quickly spirals and overtakes not just his life, but all those around him.
As with Rosalie Blum, Rappeneau demonstrates skill at bringing empathy, humour and charm to the lives of ordinary people with this rousing and heartfelt story. Its timeless message of determination and will speak to viewers of any age - or size.
Tuesday 14th July
105 min
PG
Film Festival
