Ma vie de Courgette
Country of Origin: France, Switzerland
Primary Audio Language: French
Director: Claude Barras
Film Length: 1h 10m
Synopsis: After losing his mother, a young boy is sent to a foster home with other orphans his age where he begins to learn the meaning of trust and true love.
Star Rating: ★★★★★
Review: An adorably terrifying Claymation story about the sad life of Icare, nicknamed Zucchini in the English-sub (Courgette in the original French), who is sent to live in a children’s home, where the viewers are introduced to an assortment of eclectic characters. Despite the vibrant and goofy characterization style of the children, most are shown to have dark backgrounds, unfortunately common in reality, including some who have been physically abused and others from homes with drug abuse. This movie is anything but a run of the mill children’s movie and the journey of healing and friendship can be enjoyed by viewers of any age, although several sites have recommended it to viewers age 11 and up.
Although the quirky animation style intrigued me when it first appeared on Netflix, it wasn’t until I started to see how much the film resonated with members of the LGBTQ+ community that I actually became interested in watching it, and this project finally gave me the motivation to sit down and watch it for myself. Zucchini is shown to develop romantic interest in a girl at the orphanage, Camille, so he is not queer-himself, but the way through which the children bond and create a family of their own among each other has resonated with my LGBTQ+ viewers who also often are forced to do similar things growing up.
Ultimately, the movie is short and sweet, it remains a light coming of age tale, even with its darker undertones. The sensitive histories of the children are handled with a delicate hand, but the focus of the film is a message of healing and shown in a moving way not often seen in film, much less animated features. This movie has also been updated to be offered in an English dub, and although I doubt much subtitles would be lost by choosing to view it that way, I definitely recommend watching it in the original French to add to the whimsical experience.
Available On: Netflix
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