Eighteen-year-old Totone spends his summer drinking, fighting, chasing girls, and riding battered dirt bikes in the remote Jura farming community of eastern France. His life takes a dramatic turn when his widowed, alcoholic father dies, leaving Totone responsible for a failing farm and his seven-year-old sister. In a desperate attempt to fix his predicament, Totone sets his sights on a cheese competition with a lucrative €30,000 prize.
Lacking resources, he resorts to stealing milk from young farmer Marie-Lise. “Holy Cow,” directed by Louise Courvoisier, is a breakout success in France. It won prizes at Cannes and the Césars, and has captivated French audiences.
Courvoisier’s deep connection to the Jura region, where the film is set, is evident in every earthy frame. The film’s authenticity particularly benefits from the casting and direction of the phenomenal, largely nonprofessional actors. Clément Faveau, a reluctant poultry farmer, stars as Totone.
His powerful, convincing performance gives the film a docudrama essence, capturing both Totone’s internalized anger and fleeting moments of joy.
Totone’s transformative summer journey
“As someone from the area, I needed actors who shared our specific accent and mannerisms,” says Courvoisier.
“Even if you don’t speak the language, you can feel it by watching how they move.”
Courvoisier’s approach to directing was to encourage her actors to be themselves, avoiding the pressure of traditional performance. “I always told them, ‘Just be yourself.’ It’s true, we had very difficult scenes, like the sex scenes. It was my responsibility to know their limits.”
The film examines the toxic masculinity that surrounds Totone.
Courvoisier observes, “I grew up with a lot of guys in a small village where everyone knows everyone. They had this pressure of being masculine and carrying the family. When you don’t succeed, and you’re not good at it, there’s a lot of pressure.”
Despite a somewhat comedic premise, the film remains grounded by heartfelt performances and Courvoisier’s detailed portrayal of farm life.
Ultimately, the film’s central cheese competition is beside the point. The nourishment in this terrific, big-hearted drama comes from Courvoisier’s full-blooded characters and their journeys. “Holy Cow” is now showing in UK and Irish cinemas and will be available for streaming next month.
