Financing is seldom easy and so in the case of first-time writer-director Louise Courvoisier, her mantra has been to stick with what she knows.  She’s returned to her hometown in Jura, a rural district of Eastern France, to make a simple coming-of-age story.  It draws attention to the teenagers and young adults who, for a variety of reasons, pursue a rustic, country way of life.  This contrasts with others who have moved to big cities including Paris in search of opportunity and a college education.

The focus is on Totone (Faveau), a somewhat irresponsible 18-year-old who goes about his days with carefree abandon.  He drinks, he smokes, he gets into fights, he creates mischief, and he thinks of himself as a ladies’ man.  His world is flipped upside down when his father dies unexpectedly in a car accident and he must take on caring duties for his younger sister (Luna Garret).  Responsibility is not Totone’s strong suit.  With no job or parenting skills, the months ahead will provide a “reality check” that necessitates a lifestyle adjustment.

This could have been a heavy drama, but the film strives for an uplifting, feel-good vibe.  Trying to take over his dad’s cheese-making business, Totone and his friends hatch a scheme to steal quality milk from a neighbouring farm and use it to produce a small batch which can be entered in a local competition.  First prize is €30,000 which would help alleviate his short-term financial woes.  On top of this, he falls in love with a mature young woman (Barthelemy) who provides an education in the cow paddock… and in the bedroom.

In finding the cast, Courvoisier scoured the community and chose non-professional actors to work with.  They’re a great bunch who add authenticity given their familiarity with the area and the screenplay’s themes.  The narrative isn’t original, but I still liked the snapshot into a lesser-seen part of France – its people, its jobs, and its vistas.  I’ll add that it also made me want to sink my teeth into a cheese platter!

Premiering last year at Cannes and winner of the César Award for best film by a first-time filmmaker, Holy Cow is a nice tale about finding a passage through adversity and becoming a better human being.