Holy Cow

In the heart of the French Alps, a wayward teen finds his purpose in cheese – and discovers that maturity isn’t just for Comté.

18-year-old Totone spends his days drinking beer and partying in the Jura region with his group of friends. Reality catches up with him when he has to take care of his 7-year-old sister and find a way to make a living. He sets out to make the best Comté cheese in the region and win the gold medal at the agricultural competition, but with 30,000 euros on the line, the stakes are anything but mild.

Filmed on location in the western French Alps and featuring a lively ensemble of first-time actors drawn from the area, Louise Courvoisier’s feature debut won the Un Certain Regard Youth Award at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival. The cast and filmmakers’ lived experience gives this charming French film a sharp, authentic flavour. Blending the harsh realities of farm life with sweet romance, it’s both a wry love letter to the glories of cheese and a warm, crowd-pleasing story.