Synopsis

April, a 5-year-old English girl, is unhappy to move to France.

From Paris, she relocates to Labastide d'Armagnac, the small medieval village where her great-grandfather lived in the South-West of France.

April is not much happier at first in the deserted village but slowly discovers it.

She visits the cemetery where she thinks people are just asleep. On her great-grandfather’s grave she brings flowers, talks to him and strongly believes that he might eventually come back to be with her.

While waiting for him she meets his old friends.

With them she will open to the world, discover her inner self and in turn will transform forever the adults around her.

Press

We've seen quite a few films attempt to penetrate the world of children, but very few have succeeded as well as "April in France." The tenderness and tenacity (...) with which David Boaretto explores this almost surreal universe (...), of infinite possibilities, are fascinating. The dynamic editing (...) as well as the poetry and emotional intensity of many scenes are also primordial. A wonderful documentary.

Mihai Fulger, Adevarul (Romania)

[April's] greatest desire becomes that of bringing [her great-grandfather] back to life, so that she can get to know him. If this had actually happened on screen, I don't think viewers would have been very surprised. Indeed, the world represented by David Boaretto, adopting the candid point of view of his child, is surreal (it is no coincidence that the great-grandfather of the filmmaker - and the author of the final quote - is the poet Paul Éluard), and its possibilities unlimited. (…) "April in France" is a joyful and stimulating film, made with great tenderness.

Observator cultural (Romania)

Some recent documentaries are made with such skill, sometimes even such mastery, that they look like art films (...). This is the case with "April in France", an invitation to discover the world through the eyes of a child.

Adrian Țion, LiterNet (Romania)

A subtle exploration of humanity's relationship with nature.

G. Archontis, Exostis (Greece)

One of the best documentary films and one of the most comforting at the Apricot d'Or this year (…) Complex and seemingly difficult to digest themes are, thanks to April's witty and curious thoughts and David Boaretto's camera, keeping his distance and with a minimum of interference, served in the almost vintage style of good French cinema of yesteryear. It's like inviting the public into the French countryside to talk about ancestors and life.

Diana Martirosyan, Evnmag (Armenia)

Photos