Holy Cow ★★★★

Released: 11^th April 2025

Director: Louise Courvoisier

Starring: Clément Faveau, Maiwenne Barthelemy, Luna Garret, Mathis Bertrand, Dimitry Baudry

There have been plenty of films choosing to focus on France’s culinary scene, across a range of genres from Tran Anh Hung’s The Taste of Things to Gabriel Axel’s Babette’s Feast. Louise Courvoisier’s Holy Cow takes a slightly different approach, concentrating on a rural community of Comté cheese makers in Jura and 18-year-old Totone’s (Clement Faveau) efforts to win a 30,000 Euro prize. Her directorial debut screened at the Un Certain Regard section of Cannes in 2024 and won the Best First Film at France’s César Awards.

This is certainly not the kind of film you’d think of for one focusing on cheese and France, honing in on the younger members of the community who like to enjoy themselves and go out drinking. Totone is suddenly thrust into running his family farm whilst caring for his younger sister Claire. Totone only ever saw this as the route for himself, unsure what else he’d be able to make a living from.

This is a fine coming-of-ager and a proper star-making turn for Clément Faveau, where you can really see his frustration at the cards he has been dealt, as well as a sense of opportunism and wit. Courvoisier captures the rural community spirit beautifully and while much of the film is free of dialogue. She makes fine use of the rugged landscapes (filmed on location in Jura), that showcase how much the region is built around its farming and cheese-making community and how isolating this is for the younger generation.

This is a highly promising debut that takes what might be a tedious subject matter and injects it with plenty of energy, humour, charm and moments of real depth. There is an autobiographical element to the story with Courvoisier growing up in the region and the daughter of farmers, lending it a real sense of authenticity. Courvoisier certainly feels like a fresh voice in French Cinema, whilst retaining the sensibility of those who have come before her like Agnès Varda.

The performances of its young cast and direction help make Holy Cow an intriguing and compelling watch. It has been a breakout hit in its native France and it’s easy to see why audiences are falling for it.