Movies bring us closer to ourselves, even as they offer an entertaining form of escapism. This seeming contradiction reveals a fundamental cinematic truth; a director creates the illusion of safety through the distance between the fate of his characters onscreen and the lives of his viewers in the audience, a safe passage that takes us to a better understanding of ourselves.

Why do we cry and/or laugh at movies? Is it because the characters we watch suffer through the agony of a broken heart, or slip on a banana peel, or fall in and out of love? Is it because, hey, that’s me up there? Hey, that’s me up there! Movies are idealized reflections of ourselves, the screen both a window and a mirror, the true power and art of film.

1. Stars by the Pound (100kg d’étoiles), directed by Marie-Sophie Chambon. French. (2018).

This is the best film I’ve seen so far this year, a three-hanky affair (keep a box of tissues nearby) that touches on topics not normally seen in so-called “teen comedies.” Made in France in 2018 (subtitles available), the performance of Laura Duchene as the central character, Lois, is not only breathtaking but unbelievably brave.

At 16, Lois is extremely overweight and believes herself to be irredeemably unattractive, because of the physical characteristics she inherited from her parents, who, despite their unappealing looks, still equate beauty with love. Because of their perception of Lois’ lack of obvious beauty, they treat her as an unwanted pariah. What saves this wonderful young lady is her determination, her dream, really, to become an astronaut and go into space, a neat metaphor for her desire to escape the limitations of her parents – society’s – world.

Lois lives for the day she can find peace and freedom among the stars. Along the way, she meets a group of teen girls who are also considered “misfits” and, together, they pledge to help make her dream come true. The many setbacks they encounter cannot overcome their determination. By the end, you will fall in love with Lois and her friends, and cry for joy when, and how, she finally comes to peace with her physical self, and realizes how beautiful she truly is.

This is a most unusual Beauty and the Beast tale, the lead character being both Beauty and the Beast. I have not been able to get this film off my mind since I’ve seen it.

It will take a bit of detective work to find it, but if you try the website Kino-Lorber, the international distributor (on the web), you should be able to track it down. I suggest watching it with friends, and putting your seatbelt on for the gratifying emotional roller coaster. The director, Marie-Sophie Chambon, is a young French woman, and, although she has written several screenplays, this is only her second film at the helm.

Here is her photo. She is a talent to watch, and, I believe, an inspiration to young filmmakers everywhere:

Photo from: cineuropa.org

More content from Marc Eliot:

• Marc Eliot’s Top 10 Classic Movies for Film Students to Watch
• Teaching an Auteurist Approach to Cinema for Film Students at the UFM Film School
• Artista Emprendedor: The Business of Hollywood con Marc Eliot

Stay tuned for the second recommendation next week!