Updated Monday, April 17 with showtime information through April 26.
OK, so it’s technically a Swiss movie, but all of the dialogue in “Ma vie de Courgette” (“My Life as a Zucchini”), the César award-winning and Oscar-nominated animated film, is entirely in French. The film is part of the Indie Film Series at Studio C!, presented by the East Lansing Film Society Film Series (ELFS) and Celebration! Cinema.
Most of the showings are dubbed in English, but the Alliance Française-Michigan Capital Area Chapter has worked with festival organizers to ensure there will be some showings in French with English subtitles.
“It was such a great movie, and I’m eager to see it with its original French language soundtrack,” says festival co-founder Susan Woods. “It’s such a raw, poignant film, which has that distinct French blend of humor and sadness, and it was really surprising to see it recognized at the Academy Awards with these big films from Pixar and Disney. It really holds its own.”
“Courgette” focuses on 9-year-old Zucchini, who moves into a group foster home after the death of his mother. He begins to make friends with the other children, who have had similarly difficult lives. As he matures and wrestles with feelings about his complicated past, Zucchini gains the confidence to shape his future.
French language showings will play at 3:30 p.m. on Friday, April 21; 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 22; and 3:30 p.m. on Monday, April 24 and Wednesday, April 26. Studio C! is located at 1999 Central Park Drive in Okemos, just north of Meridian Mall. Additional showings will be held later this month — for show dates and times, call Studio C!’s office line at (517) 381-8100.
“Ma vie de Courgette” (“My Life as a Zucchini”)
Director: Claude Barras
Rated PG-13
70 minutes
Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer: 100%
WATCH THE TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bd2TOf1kmfk