My Life as a Courgette

My Life as a Courgette (Ma vie de Courgette, 2016) is a Swiss-French stop-motion animated drama directed by Claude Barras, based on the novel Autobiographie d'une Courgette by Gilles Paris. The film tells the poignant story of Courgette (Zucchini in the English version), a young boy who ends up in a foster home after accidentally causing the death of his abusive mother. At first lonely and withdrawn, Courgette gradually bonds with other children at the home—each of whom carries their own traumatic past. Through shared experiences of loss and resilience, the children form a new kind of family, rooted in understanding and healing. The film is visually simple yet deeply expressive, using claymation figures with exaggerated heads and wide, searching eyes. The aesthetic enhances the emotional weight of the story, capturing childhood trauma with a gentle, empathetic tone. Despite its heavy themes—neglect, abuse, death—it balances sorrow with warmth, humor, and hope. The screenplay, adapted by Céline Sciamma (Portrait of a Lady on Fire), is understated and respectful of its young characters’ emotional realities. My Life as a Courgette was a modest box office success, grossing around $5.7 million worldwide on a small budget. It had a limited theatrical release outside Europe but quickly gained a following through international film festivals and critical praise. The film's multilingual accessibility and universal themes helped it connect with audiences far beyond French-speaking territories. Critically, it received universal acclaim. The film holds a 99% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and an 81 Metascore, with reviewers lauding its sincerity, emotional precision, and visual charm. Many critics highlighted it as an example of animation being used for mature, humanistic storytelling, rather than spectacle or fantasy. The film was heavily awarded. It was nominated for Best Animated Feature at the 89th Academy Awards (2017), Best Animated Feature Film at the Golden Globes, and Best Animated Film at the BAFTAs. It won Best Animated Feature and Best Adapted Screenplay at the César Awards, and took the Cristal for Best Feature at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival, among other honors. Its legacy lies in proving that animation can deal with complex social issues—like child welfare, mental health, and trauma—without being inaccessible or exploitative. My Life as a Courgette remains a rare and beautiful example of emotionally grounded animation for older children and adults. It is widely considered one of the most moving and artistically unique animated films of the 2010s.