The Butterfly / Le Papillon (G)

by Philippe Muyl

Julien (played by the beloved Michel Serrault) is an elderly entomologist living alone in his spacious apartment, with only his cat and extensive butterfly collection for company. Eight-year-old Elsa (Claire Bouanich) lives next door with her single working mother, Isabelle (Nade Dieu), who has little time for her. One day, when Julien sets out to the country in search of an elusive butterfly whose life span is only a few days, Elsa hides out in his car. By the time the flustered Julien realizes that he has a stowaway, he's too far away to turn around and so reluctantly agrees to let her tag along.

The Butterfly is a delicate, visually translucent film; Nicolas Herdt's gorgeous, languid tracking shots of the two explorers trekking through hillside meadows and woods with misty snow-capped mountains looming in the background capture the wonder of nature as experienced through the eyes of a child. The atmosphere is intense, and utterly intoxicating.

Director Philippe Myul adroitly avoids the usual clichés in his execution of this tale, striking the right balance between humour and observational bite, and giving The Butterfly an undeniable appeal. Thanks to its smart and frequently funny screenplay, and standout performances from the two leads (Serrault in a typically expert performance, opposite the scene-stealing Bouanich), the relationship that develops between this incongruous pair is genuinely moving, giving the film real impact.
 
France- 2003- Dramatic comedy - 85 min - French with English subtitles
Director: Philippe Muyl
Script: Philippe Muyl
With: Michel Serrault, Claire Bouanich, Nade Dieu, Françoise Michaud, Hélène Hily