DROLE DE FELIX

France, 2000, 95 minutes, Colour.
Sami Bouajila,Patachou, Ariane Ascaride, Pierre Loup Rajot, Maurice Benichou, Philippe Garziano.
Directed by Olivier Ducastel, Jacques Martinau.

It is a bit hard to find a proper English translation for this title. It was known as Funny Felix as well as The Adventures of Felix.

The film was directed by Olivier Ducastel and Jacques Martineau who made a number of films with gay characters, showing an interest in sexual orientation without overtly campaigning in favour. This is particularly true of this film, the earliest.

Sami Bouajila is a genial, rather carefree young man in Normandy, living with a schoolteacher. His attitudes are left-wing and is in touch with people concerned about ferry strikes in the area. However, he discovers some letters from his father to his mother who had brought him up. He decides to go to Marseille to find his father.

So, this is a cheerful road film, with Felix setting out to hitchhike South and experiencing a number of adventures. He gets a number of lifts, witnesses a racial bashing in Rouen, goes to the police but is threatened himself. He meets an elderly lady and stays at her house and helps her with some furniture jobs as well as going shopping with her. He meets a man who works on the railways and they fly the kite that Felix has packed in his gear. There is a gay attraction and a sexual encounter. He also meets a woman who has three children from different fathers and gets a lift while she delivers each of them to their respective father. Because fatherhood is important to Felix considering his own case, he has a long discussion with one of the children about half-brothers and half sisters and half-fathers.

The woman and Felix are involved in a car accident while they are looking at a map and the driver, angry, bashes Felix. There is also an encounter with the police and Felix see the man who bashed him in Rouen.

Finally, he encounters a fisherman who serves as a father-figure, as they have a discussion, Felix helping him to fly a kite. And then he meets the teacher at the railway station – is content with the present rather than searching further for his father.

1. A French road movie at the end of the 20th century? From Normandy to Marseille? The range of the French countryside, scenery, towns? The musical score?

2. The directors, their interest in gay themes and characters? Observing rather than championing?

3. Racial issues, Arabs in France? Racial prejudice?

4. The title, Felix has a carefree character, his age, in the town, cycling, the issue of ferries, his relationship with the teacher, watching the TV soap opera every day, his decision to find his father, finding the letters, the address, Marseille? His father’s letters to his mother and no mention of him?

5. On the road, cheerful, dancing? Getting lifts?

6. The chapters of the film? His little brother, grandmother, cousins, father?

7. Encountering the student, his drawings, drawing for him, going home, spending the night, the attraction of the student, watching the television, stealing the car, discovering the baby, getting the little girl to return the baby, keeping the car?

8. The student, 17, drawing, gay orientation, his first time at the disco, intense dancing, being ousted because of his age?

9. The encounter at Rouen, the thugs, the racial bashing, chasing and hitting Felix, his conscience, going to the police, the threat from the criminal? His leaving? The irony of his seeing the criminal who had escaped? His fear? His being interrogated by Isabelle as to why he didn’t go to the police, his saying that he did, but his fear, the experience of prejudice?

10. The encounter with the old lady, his grandmother, talking, helping her shift the furniture? The night, sharing the food, going shopping? Buying her the container for her tablets?

11. The man on the road, the lift, his working on the railways, the kite, flying the kite, the attraction, the sexual encounter?

12. The encounter with Isabelle, the children, the different fathers, the drive with them? Playing with the kite? The discussions with the children, their half-brothers and sisters and half fathers? Considering him a father? Isabelle and her character, discussions with Felix about the Rouen situation, the police? The issue of finding the witness to the event? The crash, while looking at the map, his being hit by the angry?

13. Felix and his politics, wanting to avoid right-wing towns?

14. Encountering the fisherman, the chapter heading about his father, the discussions about fishing, relaxing, Felix showing the old man how to fly the kite?

15. At Marseille, Daniel arriving, Felix late, being reunited? Not worrying about his father – happily living in the present?