My Life As A Zucchini (2016)

Director: Claude Barras

Rated PG-13, this is an unusual animation. A little boy lives with his alcoholic mother, til one day she dies in an accident that he blames himself for. He’s sent to a foster home, where all the kids are suffering from losing their parents and from growing up in highly dysfunctional homes. At first the other kids are suspicious of this kid who insists on being called Zucchini, a nick name given to him by his mother, but he slowly gets to know them.

The children have some pretty dark backstories, which makes it all the more poignant as they slowly bond and start to find family and acceptance in each other. Zucchini slowly learns to trust and learns what love is, but it’s not easy.

It’s a hard film to describe, I haven’t seen anything quite like it. It feels real and adult but also captures the perspective of the child. It’s about some dark events, but the themes and the lessons learned are very hopeful. I love the animation style, it has the feel of a child’s drawing, but also is full of detail and colour too. It’s a heartfelt story, and has some really beautiful moments in it. A beautiful film, maybe not one for the younger children in your life though.

See It If: it’s a beautiful and sad story, with some details not for younger children, but I think this is one that might appeal to anyone, and I recommend it.