Keswick Film Club - The Grocer's Son

Synopsis

In order to keep alive the family's grocery shop Antoine is forced to go back to his home town when his father has a heart attack. Unwillingly driving the family van from hamlet to hamlet, delivering supplies to the few remaining inhabitants, his attitude gradually changes when accompanied by his Parisian friend Claire... To achieve documentary-like realism, director Éric Guirado shot portraits of travelling tradesmen in southern France: his film affectionately observes their gruff, self-reliant customers and respects these hardy, weather-beaten but also funny and endearing people. Ultimately, this French boxoffice hit is about the coming-of-age of a man rediscovering life and love in the countryside.