KNONK

trauma

My Life as a Courgette

2016

07 Feb 2026

A cute French claymation that looks like a kid's film and is rated PG, but holy crap is it dark.
The DVD case blithely notes that the main character goes to an orphanage after his parents die. It doesn't mention that his mother is a severe alcoholic who threatens to beat him and dies after he acidentally causes her to fall down the stairs. And he is but one of the seven-or-so severely traumatised 8-10 year olds that form the heart of this charming, colourful film.
Is it a French thing?
I'm not against challenging themes in kid's entertainment though, and it treats the kids and their strange behaviours with respect and a gentle hand. The characters are all multi-dimensional, even while made of clay. There's a bully, who turns out not to be all that bad, but also doesn't stop bullying just because they had a good talk. There's a girl with PTSD from unspecified parental abuse, whose mood can be read by how much hair covers up the scar on her face. And a girl who ended up in state care after her mother was deported to an African country, who rushes out the door with a "maman?" whenever a car approaches, but then when her mother does show up, she doesn't go with her.
And, perhaps most surprisingly, we are trusted with these subtle characterisations, trusted to connect the dots and understand what's going on with these kids. Is that a French thing?Because I like it.
Beautiful, slightly haunting.

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