This is a good movie. The Little Victoriescomedy by Mélanie Auffrey rewarded by the jury and the public at the Alpe d’Huez Festival, blows a wind of benevolence in the heart of the spectator.
The director of Roxane confirms his gift for giving a voice to the rural world, which here takes the form of a duo composed of Julia Piaton and Michel Blanc. She moves as mayor, teacher and handywoman of a Breton village. He upsets as a gruff pensioner who returns to school to learn to read and write.
Beloved and lovable heroes
“I love my characters, maybe that’s why they touch the viewers”, confides the director to 20 minutes. Touched, we are, both by the struggle of this woman to try to save her village whose traders have fled, and by the efforts of her elderly student to overcome his bad mood and reveal a heart of gold in the midst of his very young classmates.
This story of tender humor tackles serious themes (illiteracy, desertification, loneliness, etc.) with communicative tenderness. Mélanie Auffey takes great care in describing village life and the sacrifices it entails for anyone trying to preserve it. His funny and luminous film sometimes brings tears to his eyes but The small victories deserves its title. The film celebrates those of those who are sometimes called “the little people” who turn out to be great by the way they struggle with the trials of life.