Damien Odoul

MORASSEIX

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Status: Completed

Director(s): Damien Odoul

Main cast: Damien Odoul, Pascal Pagnat, Audrey Bellessort

Long synopsis : Morasseix, a village hidden away in the remote depths of the French countryside, presents a gallery of astonishing portraits, characters by turn violent, absurd, occasionally touching in their innocence. “All of them cracked”, according to Lili, the hairdresser’s daughter, who dreams of leaving for America. César, however, has no desire to leave. He’s greedy for life, a jovial fellow. He loves the locals. Loves them so much that he happily pushes them around, provoking them for the sake of it. To him, despite their individual quirks, they all lack a sense of insolence. Particularly his friend Twelve, named for the calibre of his shotgun. Twelve has a real fascination for César. Unforgettable boozing sessions, punch ups at the clay pigeon shoots, woodcock hunts where half-confidences are uttered with a clumsy reticence, free-for-all rugby matches and bullfights improvised at dawn with a herd of cows. César has fun with it all, without a care, irresponsible. Maybe a little too much. Lili is in love with him. He flirts with her happily enough but, when he realises that Twelve has fallen for the young woman’s charms, intentionally provokes Lili to despair, taking advantage of her distress in order to push her into the arms of his friend. Lili and Twelve end up getting married. César’s made them happy. He was playing. But he possesses neither Twelve’s naivety, or Lili’s purity. He’s not greatly blessed with happiness. He grows ever more desperate, ever more dangerous… Rich with grotesque comedy and brutal lyricism, alive with a uniquely raw and savage power, Damien Odoul’s long-lost feature film debut - previously unseen in this theatrical cut - bears witness to the first flowering of one of the true visionaries of contemporary French cinema.