Dev Murray takes a fresh slice out of Vingt Dieux’s tender portrait of rural youth.
Rooted in lived experience and full of raw charm, Vingt Dieux (‘Holy Cow’) proves writer/director Louise Courvoisier to be an essential new voice in French cinema. The film explores the trials and tribulations of Totone (Clément Faveau) a teenage boy in the French countryside. Courvoisier herself grew up in the commune of Cressia in a small village and her portrayal of country living is evidently taken from experience. This film oozes a Frenchness that is charming and totally immersive, brought to life by the bold cinematography, authentic character arcs, and naturalistic performances.
The authentic feel to Vingt Dieux is achieved by none other than actual authenticity. Courvoisier knows this rural realm well and she translates it to the screen perfectly. The film was shot on location, in the same Jura region that Courvoisier grew up in, and the cast were sought out from agricultural fairs and stock car races making this their debut performances on screen.
At just 19 years old Faveau delivers a gripping performance as Totone which was recognised at the 2025 Lumiere Awards, at which he received the award for ‘Most Promising Actor’. Totone’s world comes crashing down when, after his father is involved in a tragic car accident, he is left to tend the family farm and becomes the sole carer for his young sister Claire (Luna Garret). Money becomes an issue and Totone is forced to get a job as a cleaner in a local cheese dairy. Then Totone meets Marie-Lise (Maiwene Barthelemy, who has been awarded ‘Best Female Revelation’ at the 2025 César Awards). Marie-Lise is a fellow orphaned teenager who also looks after her family’s cattle farm on her own.
After hearing about a 30,000 euro cash prize for the best produced Comté cheese, Totone decides to befriend Marie-Lise in order to steal her milk, which produced the winning cheese in the year prior. On a mission, using knowledge he had picked up from his work in the cheese dairy, Totone works hard to get the perfect cheese with the help of his pals and little sister.
From start to finish Faveau carries depth and weight behind his character. He embodies teenage freedom and a playful, comedic cheekiness. His cocky demeanor serves as a mask, and in moments of silence, Totone reveals his vulnerability. He carries a heavy weight on his shoulders. The character arcs are well realised, Marie-Lise and Claire are very evidently women, written by women. This is solidified by the warm on-screen presence of these two young actresses. Marie-Lise and Claire are strong-minded and very hard-working, despite their unfortunate circumstances, both are fun and free-spirited.
Vingt Dieux is a simple film. Serene and melancholic at times, there’s nothing loud or busy to it. Courvoisier’s deft writing examines grief, love and youth, but does so very delicately. These big themes are present but not the driving force of the film. Vingt Dieux romanticises these simple pleasures and is infectious in its admiration for youth, nature and love. With aesthetic shots of green hills and blue skies, and moody colour palettes of summer nights, the quiet roads are brought alive by the raring engines and headlights of Totone and his friends on their motorbikes.
Released in 2025, Vingt Dieux is also a first feature fiction film for cinematographer Elio Balézeaux who has previously shot documentaries mostly. Shot on film with an anamorphic lens, Balézeaux has stated that the visual aim for the film was to achieve a soft and warm look that was still organic. The focal points for grade were the contrast of night and day and the difficulties capturing some of the darker shots on film. Playing with the distance of the characters in frame to create tensions and romance, something Balézeaux takes from his experience in documentary work.
A poignant watch from start to finish, Vingt Dieux ends where it all began, at the village agriculture fair. This slice of life is a visual triumph and a joy to watch. Courvoisier’s debut feature—already awarded Best First Film at the 2025 César Awards and the Youth Prize at Cannes in 2024—marks the arrival of a bold new talent in French cinema.
Vingt Dieux is available to stream online.
