The French Film Festival is always a delight of cool, quirky, moving films. This year sees 265 screenings and I suggest you get in quickly as last year many sold out. The preview night movie was a sweet story called Microbe and Gasoil about two teenage school boys heading off on an unlikely adventure.
thanks to French Film Festival
Microbe, so named because of his small stature and young look, is a quiet, artistic boy content spending his days drawing, particularly nudes. Gasoil, cooler and more worldly, his penchant for tinkering with motorbikes has left him with an eau de gasoline. When Gasoil joins Microbe’s class the two outcasts soon form a strong bond, especially when Gasoil starts educating his new friend.
‘Today’s bullies are tomorrows victims.’
With the summer holidays just around the corner they start dreaming of escape and adventure. Combining Microbe’s creativity and Gasoil’s mechanical knowledge they decide to build a get away ‘car’ with the help of a bed base and lawnmower.
After much hard work the ‘car’ is ready.
Thanks to French Film Festival
Sadly though their plans go array when it becomes clear that their transport has to be registered and won’t pass a roadworthy test. No drama the artistic Microbe suggests they turn it into a house, because a house doesn’t have to be registered. Genius. Not only does a house not need to be roadworthy, they can live in it when not travelling. And so the adventure is back on.
The ‘car/house’ takes shape thanks to some planks of wood and in true French chic, some curtains and a flowerbox complete with red geraniums. But the piece de resistance is an ingenuous wooden flap that hides the wheels when parked.
Microbe and Gasoil is a perfectly sweet road movie from Michael Gondry (director of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind). The young actors Theophile Baquet and Ange Dargent are compelling to watch as their bromance develops.
Another must see in the festival is The Brand New Testiment, where God’s daughter releases everybodys death date. A big hit during PIAF, it’s good to see it get another airing. If you missed it before make sure you don’t this time round.
Another movie singled out on preview night was Boomerang, and I’ll definitely be trying to see Mon Roi. Ladies Night is on April 1st this year, when romantic comedy LoLo will be screened.
The head of Alliance Françoise Perth described the Festival as a collection of ‘clever films’ with great ‘dialogue, direction and actors.’
The Festival runs from March 16th to April 7th at the usual Luna cinemas e.g. Paradiso, Windsor, Luna on SX.
For more information go to French Film Festival. For a trailer of Microbe and Gasoil click here Film.
