Country Cabaret

Les folies fermières

The French Film Festival is now in full swing and French films are taking over Australian cinemas. However, many films remain to be discovered: Country Cabaret is one of them. This wild true story puts the countryside in the spotlight and is both touching and beautiful but also quite funny: imagine Priscilla, Queen of the desert, in the middle of the remote countryside.

Country Cabaret, directed by Jean-Pierre Améris is based on the true story of David Caumette (Alban Ivanov) – a French cattle farmer on the brink of liquidation – and narrates how his unexpected encounter with Bonnie (Sabrina Ouazani) – a dazzling nightclub performer – changed the future of his farm. As they meet, inspiration strikes and his plans to turn his big old barn into a cabaret venue with a troupe of local performers blossom.

This brilliant comedy highlights something important that is rarely talked about: the rise of a new type of agriculture in the current climatic context. This film questions consumers’ relationship with their food and relates the struggles farmers face with great accuracy. To keep their business going, farmers are eager to offer quality products and encourage the public to consume more sustainably.

Like many French farmers nowadays, Caumette implemented a local food network; a method used to market agricultural products in which a maximum of one intermediary is involved between the producer and the consumer. As a result, ties between producers and consumers are strengthened. This distribution method is increasingly being adopted because of its environmental adavantages, compared to traditional distribution methods, the transportation of goods is reduced and in the case of a direct sale on the farm itself, almost non-existent. In a time of climate change and green agriculture, responsible consumption approaches seems to convince more and more farms.

As of today, the Les Folies Fermières cabaret has been met with huge success, both with national and international visitors. The surrounding businesses happily benefit from the consistent enthusiasm around the project, which was also beneficial to Caumette’s farm as fifteen new jobs were created in just fifteen years. This project was able to save the farm from bankruptcy, something not all farmers have been fortunate enough to achieve. Similarily to many other countries, France has been experiencing a steady reduction in the number of farmers in the workforce over the past forty years, as well as a general decline in the quality of life of these farmers despite a frantic and demanding work pace.

If you would like to learn more about this crazy and touching story do not miss the opportunity to discover this film in your city during the Alliance Française French Film Festival 2023 : https://www.affrenchfilmfestival.org/film/country-cabaret,

or visit their website : https://lesfoliesfermieres.com!