IT
The concept of freedom explained through the eyes of a cat in the competing film A CAT’S LIFE for the Elements +6 section.
The young jurors of the Elements +6 section in the Sala Lumiére attended the screening of the film A CAT’S LIFE directed by French director Guillaume Maidacthevsky. His studies in biology led him to the production of films focused on ecological topics. A subject very close to the filmmaker’s heart is the safeguard of the planet and nature in general. His distinctive feature, which strikes and captivates those who are about to see one of his works, is his ability to transform even animals into actors, using their most powerful means of communication: the eyes.
Each animal, just like the real-life actors, has its own characteristics and personality. The pursuit of a product that can be considered real, genuine, and non-artificial is his only thought. In the director’s notes attached to the film, it is Guillaume Maidacthevsky himself who declares: “I don’t want the people leaving the cinema to think my film is a joke.”
The choice to portray the story of a cat, with all its nuances, was determined by the desire to illustrate to children the concept of freedom. A gift that not everyone can claim and that people – or animals as in this case – can enjoy as they see fit.
The film’s human protagonist is Clémence, a ten-year-old girl, together with her cat Rroû, who loves to wander around the rooftops of Paris. When the little girl accidentally finds him hiding in the attic of her house, she decides to take care of him and adopt him. The family’s departure to spend a few days relaxing in the countryside brings the cat into close contact with nature for the first time. The transition from the chaotic city to the mountains of north-eastern France significantly unsettles the animal. During those days, the girl meets a woman whose character is initially gruff, but that later proves to be friendly with her and her four-legged friend.