Written and directed by Louise Courvoisier, co-written by Théo Abadie, Totone’s carefree teenage life of drinking and dancing takes a turn when he must provide for his 7-year-old sister. Seeking income, he channels his energy into producing an award-winning Comté cheese to claim a competition prize. Starring: Clément Faveau, Maïwene Barthelemy, Luna Garret, Mathis Bernard and Dimitri Baudry.
Firstly, an image comes to mind when you think of the French countryside and rural communities, and Louise Courvoisier brings that image to life perfectly. It’s everything you could want from it, Courvoisier not only captures the serene landscapes and that hard-working, traditional way of life but also the youth, recklessness and sweetness of her characters. There’s a wonderful contrast in the brashness and raucous nature of Totone (Clément Faveau) and the quietness of the landscape. It’s also a lovely representation of the different sides to Totone, the typical teen boy, boozing and carefree versus the love and care for his sister and his dedication and willingness to do what it takes to provide them a decent life.
That’s not a mix you often see in a young male character, we typically get one or the other; either the underdog hard worker or the partying frat boy who needs to be snapped back to reality. Courvoisier and Abadie build a blend of both with Totone, he’s a decent young man but he does also need that push to grow up. One of the interesting choices which shouldn’t be a surprise but, in this society, actually is, is that he’s also respectful of his elders which is refreshing to see. Courvoisier and Abadie really did a terrific job creating this gentle, sweet yet rough around the edges character who carries Holy Cow effortlessly.
Of course, a decent amount of credit also has to go to the performance from Clément Faveau. He springs Totone off the page and onto the screen, with a cheekiness and down to earth nature. He classically doesn’t show a great deal of emotion as a teen boy, but Faveau is excellent at communicating those feelings under the surface, the disappointment, the conflict and at times, desperation. It’s much like Holy Cow itself, in that it can pack a punch without needing to resort to shock or trauma. There are multiple points where you know exactly where it’s going but the quality of the performances, direction and writing means that they can still hit a deeper emotional note.
He’s paired beautifully with Maïwene Barthelemy as Marie-Lise, they’re two sides of the same coin. Barthelemy creates a mix of defensive yet vulnerable which is endearing to watch. She’s so isolated and growing up in such a masculine environment, she’s constantly pushing back but Totone helps her soften up, while she helps him to be a better person. However, it’s not all emotional maturity and life lessons, they’re a clumsy couple of kids, who don’t really know what they’re doing but are trying to figure it out in an unexpectedly touching way.
Holy Cow is a surprisingly sweet and tender story, Louise Courvoisier and Théo Abadie created a superb character in Totone who is really entertaining to watch. In no small part because of the layered, charming and sincere performance from Clément Faveau which only improves further when he’s opposite Maïwene Barthelemy. It’s shot so well to create an atmosphere which perfectly encompasses everything that the film has to offer. Elio Balezeaux’s cinematography is beautifully rustic and has such a wonderfully softened palette. It has an old-fashioned, wholesome charm while being filled with the classic flirtations, fervour and fumbling of youth.
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