VINGT DIEUX/ HOLY COW

France, 2024, 94 minutes, Colour.

Clement Faveau, Maiwene Bartlelemy, Luna Garret, Mathis Bernard.

Directed by Louise Courvoisier.

For a French film by a Swiss director, her first feature film, Holy Cow seems a particularly English-language title. And, it is. The title in French actually means “20 Gods”. And, the experts suggest that an English translation of this local idiom is, in fact, Holy Cow but in translation more politely, Good Heavens! (But Holy Cow is exclaimed many times in the subtitles.)

And, the audience does seek cows at the beginning of the film, as it opens at a local fair. This is very much a drama of life in a comparatively small town, village life, farming, and a local cheese industry.

However, this is the story of Totine, a 17-year-old, caring for his seven-year-old sister, Claire, their father friendly but a drinker and soon to die in an accident, leaving the two to try to manage a life without him or any support. The difficulty is that Totine is literally one of the boys, a gang of friends, boisterous, drinking, sex with the local girls, hangovers, no inclination to work, irresponsible and with prospects accordingly.

It is not easy to like Totine who needs a good talking to or…

But, this is a film about real life, about decisions that have to be made, even by 17-year-olds. Totine does look after his sister. And he tries to get work, going for an interview at the cheese factory, falling foul of members of rival gangs, but persevering. While he does take some initiatives, especially fascinated by the making of cheese, good straightforward and honest procedures are not yet in his make up. He steals milk with his friends, works with his sister using processes that he learns from a session held by a local cheese producer.

In the meantime, there are clashes with his friends, one of them preparing an old car for a stockcar rally – one of those old-time rallies with the old cars speeding around, turning somersaults, standing on end, dangerous but exciting the thrillseeking drivers and the thrillseeking crowds in support.

There is no final happy ending. Totine has still to face up fully to a lot of the realities and responsibilities of life but he is on the way. There is rejoicing with his friend winning the stockcar race. There is a sense of satisfaction in having made some cheese which has quality. Totine has to move on from his liaison with the young woman who manages cheesemaking and he has learned some truths about what is required for a genuine relationship.

Holy cow! This is a story about a young man having to learn to be his better self.

1. The meaning of the title: 20 gods, local expression, English equivalents, Holy Cow, Good Heavens!?
2. The location, France, mountains, the village, homes, the dairies, factories? The musical score?
3. A slice of village life, the countryside, the older people, work, steady jobs, manufacturing cheese? The younger generation, irresponsible, drinking, sexual encounters, avoiding work? The background of stockcar racing?
4. The theme, the young and irresponsible, real-life catching up with the death of the father, taking care of the young sister, finance, work? Change, still roguish, but facing reality more and more?
5. Totne, age, carefree life, at the fair, the challenge, stripping naked, his friends and the bonding, drinking, hangovers, sexual encounters? At home, his father, drinking, his young sister, taking her to school? Ordinary life? Prospects?
6. The death of his father, at home, caring for his sister, her age, personality, dependence? His having to get a job, going to the company, the interview, the work, cleaning the vats? The background of the gangs, the fights, Totine being bashed? His return to work?
7. Cheesemaking, importance for the area, the cows, the factory, the making of the cheese, the blocks? Business? Competitions?
8. Totine and his interest, going to the class, the woman explaining, the audience? Totine and his friends, deciding to make cheese? His meeting with Marie-Lise, her age, the attraction, the sexual encounters? And behind the scenes, the stealing of the milk?
9. The attempts to make the cheese, his sister helping, the process, the achievement?
10. Totine taking the cheese to the competition, the desk, the requirements, unable to fulfil them?
11. Marie-Lise, discovering the truth, the clash, the fair, getting together again?
12. The stock car driver, friendship, the clashes with Totine, sequence of the race, the cars, the turns, standing on end, accidents? The victory? Friends, Totine his sister celebrating?
13. The prospects for Totine, life in the village, growing up, having to take responsibility, cheesemaking? Yet the continued drawbacks? His future?