Change of Status

Weary of his work at a Paris job centre, Alain resigns and heads for the Massif Central. As he meets different people, we discover an almost invisible France, where “ordinary” people try to escape from consumer society by adopting different lifestyles, far from the madding crowd:  young farmers saying no to “industrial” agriculture, idealists advocating self-sufficiency, locals cultivating simplicity and a healthy relationship with the soil… In keeping with its intention, the film invents its own – part fiction, part documentary – system, with an ironically witty actor, locals playing themselves, and a quirky kind of humour. The filmmakers take the opportunity to propose their own modest utopia, consisting of down-to-earth conviviality and humanity, where a stranger is a friend you invite home for a meal. Get off the beaten track, try some unconventional paths, reinvent yourself in a changing world: this is the invitation of this heart-warming and deeply political road-movie.

Alessia Bottani

Translation BMP Translations