WATCH THE TRAILER (In French) HERE
French indie filmmaker Jonathan Degrelle very much impresses with his debut short film debuted during the 2013 Festival season overseas. In a village far away, a simple and down-on-his-luck man, Orphyr (Stephane Ropa) finds himself tossed out of his favorite inn and out into the cold night. On the road, he meets a little girl (Elodie Meresse) to whom he shows kindness. She transforms before his wondering eyes into the Green Lady (Elisa Briche) and offers him a gift that will bring him wealth. Upon finding out about this, the scheming innkeeper Fredine (Corinne Masiero) and her equally scheming companion Leurluque (Philippe Wolczek) arrange to take his fantastical gift away and make Orphyr look to be the even bigger simpleton upon his returning home to wife Uranie (Emmanuelle Dautremont). Still unwilling to not see the good in every soul and piece of nature around him, Orphyr’s mythical benefactor bestows another reward that will ensure he never goes hungry. Again sharing his newly blessed life with Fredine and Leurluque, they take advantage of poor Orphyr another time, and his subsequent return home is even more disastrous. Yet, refusing to not try and find some good in his circumstances, the enchanted giver returns yet again in view of his ongoing love of nature and its fascinations, this time giving him a gift that when taken to the inn, it proves to be a lesson that unkindness can bring undesired consequences, and with this, Orphyr’s life begins anew.
Truly an admirable, whimsical, family-friendly, and uniquely profound fantasy effort, “Orphyr” brings the timeless themes of hope, perseverance, graciousness, and decency to life in the same format as so many a Disney film has done, with that excellent splash of enchantment adding the final touch of enjoyment to the story. And what is even more wonderful is that so much narrative content is covered in the abbreviated, sixteen-minute timeframe, you can come out of a viewing extremely satisfied, feeling like you’ve seen a much longer movie. Ropa is perfect as Orphyr, giving him the playful innocence of a child, yet not treating him as a complete fool, and this adds to the character’s charm. Masiero’s innkeeper is just like classic Disney villains, but just on a small scale, a person who you just love to hate, and are perhaps secretly pining for the moment they get what they deserve in their harsh treatment of the hero. And there is practical, yet almost ethereal, beauty in Briche’s Green Lady, as she harkens back to those moments where you yourself wished you might run into a figure of myth in your childhood that would take you under their wing and provide all that you desire because of your good deeds and heart towards others and nature’s creations. A beautiful, chiming soundtrack accompanies every moment to superb effect and with this, you have the recipe for an enjoyable adventure with its life lessons, engaging characters, and the memories of youth it promotes.
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
