18-year-old Totone (Clement Faveau) lives in the Jura region in south-east France, an area renowned for its dairy cows, agricultural festivals, and award winning Comté cheese. Totone just wants to have fun with his friends, get drunk, and chase girls, but when his father has a terrible accident, he is forced to grow up quickly, and support himself and his 7-year-old sister. When a competition to make the best Comté cheese in the region is announced, Totone sees an opportunity to win a cash prize and take control of his chaotic life. Holy Cow, the debut feature film from Louise Courvoisier, captures the emotional highs and lows of its redoubtable young protagonist with great empathy and humour, aided in no small part by the effortless charm of nonprofessional actor Clement Faveau, who acquits himself like a natural.

Tickets for the 18.30 screening on Wednesday 16th will be €10.40 for IFI & Alliance Française members.

Notes by David O’Mahony.