If children were allowed to choose their names, they would probably make some crazy choices; and it probably doesn’t help that parents have a common practice of giving nicknames.
Such is the case for little Icare (Gaspard Schlatter), who was dubbed “Zucchini” by his mother. It is, as he tells Raymond the policeman (Michel Vuillermoz) on the day of his mother’s death, what he’d like to be called.
“My Life as a Zucchini,” directed by Claude Barras and adapted from Gilles Paris’ YA novel by Céline Sciamma, tells a stop-motion animation story of Zucchini as he goes to live in an orphanage run by Madame Papineau and Mr. Paul (Monica Budde and Adrien Barazzone). There, he meets a slew of children, bruised by their personal histories and finding solace in the arms of their makeshift family.
Among Zucchini’s new acquaintances is Simon, the troublemaker (Paulin Jaccoud), who immediately swoops in with a large dose of mischief. There’s Alice, Ahmed, Jujube, Béatrice, and Tante Ida—and then there’s Camille (Sixtine Murat), the newest to the orphanage, who steals Zucchini’s heart upon first sight of her. But Camille’s horrible aunt wants her to live with her, just to reap the benefits, and soon the whole orphanage works together to fight her wishes.
Visually, the film is stunning. The scenery looks like a giant 3-D watercolor painting, and the characters—well, every speck of their juvenile faces seems to have color swathed on it— from the rosy cheeks and noses of childhood to the blue shadows around an emotionally tired child’s eyes to Zucchini’s bright blue head of hair. “Zucchini” transports its audience with its whimsical mise-en-scene.
But its fanciful imagery is carefully balanced with a hard dose of realism. This is not a happy-go-lucky adventure movie or a fantasy with talking animals. It, instead, grapples with lifelike scenarios, dealing with some pretty tough subjects and treating its younger audience members like they can handle it. Don’t get me wrong, it is rated PG-13, so the plot doesn’t get too overbearing. But, instead of a passive film made to pander to children, you will find a thoughtful, genuine story that kids can sink their teeth into.
The cast in this film is phenomenal. Though the adults have a few films behind them, most of the actors who voice the orphans are fresh in the industry—and what a first performance to have on your resume. While the Americanized, dubbed version of the film includes actors like Nick Offerman, Will Forte, Ellen Page and Amy Sedaris (this critic hasn’t actually seen the dubbed version, so no comments can be made about it), the subtitled version breathes life into its little puppets, and every line of dialogue holds a tremendous amount of emotion, rounding the film out to be a must-see.
Nominated for “Best Animated Film” at this year’s Academy Awards, this is not a movie you should miss—it is sweet, emotional and vibrant. “My Life as a Zucchini” is coming soon to Midtown Cinema. And, in honor of the Family Film Series, children ages 12 and under will get in for free on Sunday, March 19, when accompanied by an adult.
MARCH SPECIAL EVENTS AT MIDTOWN CINEMA
Dance on Screen
“The Sleeping Beauty”
Sunday, March 5, 5 p.m.
Down in Front!
“Leprechaun” (1993)
Friday, March 10, 9:30 p.m.
Digital Theatre Series
“St. Joan”
Sunday, March 19, 1:30 p.m.
Mel Brooks Collection
“Blazing Saddles” (1974)
Friday, March 24, 7:30 p.m.
“Spaceballs” (1987)
Sunday, March 26, 7:30 p.m.
Faulkner Honda Family Film Series
“My Life as a Zucchini” (2017)
See midtowncinema.com for showtimes
On Sunday, March 19, kids 12 and under get in free when accompanied by an adult!
Author: Sammi Leigh Melville
