My Life as a Zucchini (2016)

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.

Director:

Claude Barras

Writers:

Céline Sciamma (screenplay), Germano Zullo (contributing writer)

Stars:

Gaspard Schlatter, Sixtine Murat, Paulin Jaccoud

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 23 wins & 22 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Gaspard Schlatter	...	Courgette (voice)
Sixtine Murat	...	Camille (voice)
Paulin Jaccoud	...	Simon (voice)
Michel Vuillermoz	...	Raymond (voice)
Raul Ribera	...	Ahmed (voice)
Estelle Hennard	...	Alice (voice)
Elliot Sanchez	...	Jujube (voice)
Lou Wick	...	Béatrice (voice)
Brigitte Rosset	...	Tante Ida (voice)
Natacha Koutchoumov	...	Courgette's Mother (voice) (as Natacha Varga-Koutchoumov)
Monica Budde	...	Mme Papineau (voice)
Adrien Barazzone	...	Mr. Paul (voice)
Véronique Montel	...	Rosy (voice)
Romane Cretegny	...	Fillette (voice)
Evelyne Bouvier	...	Maman de la fillette (voice)

Storyline

Courgette (Zucchini) is an intriguing nickname for a 9-year-old boy. Although his unique story is surprisingly universal. After his mother's disappearance, Courgette is befriended by a police officer Raymond, who accompanies him to his new foster home filled with other orphans his age. At first he struggles to find his place in this strange, at times, hostile environment. Yet with Raymond's help and his new-found friends, Courgette eventually learns to trust and might find true love.

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Plot Keywords:

loneliness | orphan | orphanage | foster | foster home | 

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Genres:

Animation | Comedy | Drama | Family

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for thematic elements and suggestive material

Did You Know?

Trivia

The book that Camille is reading while Alice jumps is "The Metamorphosis" by Franz Kafka. Published in 1915, it tells the story of a man who woke up one day transformed into a huge insect.

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Goofs

When Courgette arrives at Les Fontaines the other children are shown in the close up shot of the window in mirror form (Alice's parting to the right, Simon's quiff to the left and Jujube's plaster on the left).

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Quotes

Raymond: Your mum is no longer there, Icare.
Courgette: My name is Courgette!
Raymond: Courgette... Did your mum call you that? Hm. My name is Raymond.
Courgette: Did your mum call you that?

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Crazy Credits

About halfway through the credits, we see an animated sequence based, apparently, on the lead actor's audition tape.

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Connections

Version of C'est mieux la vie quand on est grand (2008)

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Soundtracks

Eisbär
Written by Martin Eicher
Performed by Grauzone

User Reviews

A story of caring and sentiment without being sentimental.

"Many people, for many reasons, feel rootless - but orphans and abandoned or abused children have particular cause." Christina Baker Kline

Stories about orphans such as Dickens' Oliver Twist have a special place--they remind us of what a gift family is. Having loving parents and siblings provides safe haven from hunger of the stomach and the heart. Claude Barras' moving stop- motion animation, My Life as a Zucchini, explores the plight of seven young orphans with emphasis on Zucchini, a name given to him by his drunken mother.

As he goes off to an orphanage, he discovers more challenges than being with his mom, whose memory he keeps by carrying around one of her discarded beer cans. The usual bully (Simon) is in residence along with some meek kids and with Camille, a saucy ten year old ready to take on Simon's cynicism and Zucchini's love.

As you can tell by the entrance of Camille, all is not lost at this homeless haven, much less the emerging sense of cooperation and compassion. The film gently approaches each major crisis with equanimity, relying not on easy solutions or catastrophes but on the emerging sense of cooperation and sincere love.

It's difficult to determine what makes this animation so human with its characters and their eccentricities; all I know is that I felt deeply about each orphan right down to the wicked aunt. It's not sentimental, mind you, just powerfully humane and deserving its Oscar nomination for best animation.

Could it be the Keane-like big eyes, so expressively alive with emotion? Possibly so. At any rate, this animation will appeal to all ages and answer some age-old questions about the depth of loneliness and the salvation adoption can bring.

"Orphanages are the only places that ever left me feeling empty and full at the same time." John M. Simmons

Details

Official Sites:

GKIDS [United States] Indie Sales [France]

Country:

Switzerland France USA

Language:

French English

Release Date:

24 February 2017 (USA)

Also Known As:

My Life as a Zucchini

Filming Locations:

Rhône-Alpes Studios, Lyon, France

Box Office

Budget:

EUR6,500,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$31,853, 26 February 2017

Gross USA:

$309,766

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$5,873,256

Company Credits

Production Co:

Rita Productions, Blue Spirit Animation, Gébéka Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

66 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1