DONNE-MOI DES AILES/ SPREAD YOUR WINGS

France, 2019, 113 minutes, Colour.
Jean- Paul Rouve, Melanie Doutey, Louis Vazquez, Frederic Suarel, Lilou Fogli, Gregori Baquet, Dominique Pinon, Philippe Magnan.
Directed by Nicolas Vanier.

This film is based on a true story, the central character in question being a technical adviser for the film, Christian Moullec.

This is also a film for those who love nature films. At the centre is a flock of geese. In fact, the audience sees the delivery of eggs to Christian’s centre, the gradual hatching, their taking to water, gradually increasing in size, exercising their instincts for food and nourishment, swimming.

Christian has asked for funds for an experiment where he will take the geese to Lapland, establish a site where, in future years, they will fly for nesting. However, the museum head refuses his application and, stealing an official seal, he sforges documents and goes ahead with his experiment, relying on his burly Nordic friend, Bjorn, to supply the eggs.

But, as might be expected, there is also a personal story. Christian is separated from his wife, Paola, who asks him to take their son, Thomas, for three weeks of the summer vacation. Thomas, of course, is absorbed in computers and computer games, doesn’t want to go, is initially bored. However, Christian gradually gets him involved, observing the hatching of the eggs and finding that one is a barnacle goose and he gives it the name, Akka and it becomes his pet.

Christian has an ultralight plane and the plan is to train the geese to be focused on the plane and follow it everywhere.

Part of the enjoyment of the film is the travelling, Christian and Thomas and Bjorn, to Lapland only to find that the authorities know about Christian’s forgery and want to impound the birds. And the drama continues when Thomas, aged 14, takes the initiative to fly the ultralight, the geese following (and Christian realising that it isn’t the ultralight that they are following but Thomas himself).

This part of the film is action adventure, Thomas flying the plane, landing on lakes, getting help in refuelling, a little girl photographing the flight with her phone, social media hits, a media event, the dangers of flying over the North Sea and the need to go above the clouds, Thomas’s mother hyper- anxious…

Since this is Christian’ story and he is advising on the film, we know that it will be a happy ending – although the group go back to Lapland the next year to wait for the geese, hoping that they will arrive… (Spoiler, yes they do!).

The film is directed by Nicholas Vanier who has a kinship to nature films including his Belle et Sebastien and The School of Life.

1. The title, the focus on the geese, Christian and his quest, the involvement of Thomas?

2. True story, the original Christian and his giving technical advice?

3. The settings in France, the marshes, Christian’s house, the town? Bjorn and his house, the water, the plant? The transition to northern Europe? Lapland, the ice and snow? The return journey, the lakes, the jetties, the towns? The musical score?
4. Christian, his personal life, dedicated to his investigations, separation from Paola? His relationship with Thomas? Paola asking him to take Thomas for the summer? His
accepting?

5. Christian, his plans, the visit to the Museum, the secretary and her help, the authorities and their not wanting to help, no financial aid, his taking the stamp, forging the
documents?

6. The plan, the eggs, the hatching, Bjorn and his supplying the eggs? His drinking? The egg with the barnacle goose? The plan to raise the chickens, train them as a group, their following the ultralight plane? The plan to take them to Lapland, to identify with the location to return there for nesting?

7. His reputation in the town, the development of the marshes, the mayor opposed to it, trying to get evidence of endangered species, the hamstring the droppings, holding up the clearing of the marshes?

8. Thomas arriving, 14, typical young man of the times, always on the computer, the games? Not wanting to be with his father? The initial boredom? Christian gradually getting him involved, explaining the situation, the eggs, the barnacle goose, his giving it the name, Akka, the wearing of the special clothes, observing the geese, the ultralight, his father explaining it? Their going up?

9. His mother coming Julien, the relationship, Julien helping? Paola happy that Thomas was becoming involved?

10. The trip to the North, the vehicle, the geese, their growing? The visit to Bjorn?

11. In Lapland, the situation, camping, the authorities, wanting to confiscate the geese, testing their health? Bjorn and his anger with Christian?

12. The background of the journalist, her initial meeting with Christian, learning his plans? Going to the edited, his not being interested in the story? Christian relying on her, her coming to the North, interfering with the authorities, pretending to be sick, delaying them?

13. Thomas, his decision, taking off with the ultralight, the geese following, the discovery that was not the ultralight but Thomas they were following?

14. The long trek back, three weeks, Thomas and his ingenuity, fuel, food, lending the ultralight, the little girl and her friendship, the gasoline, the other landings and refuelling? The little girl and her camera, on social media, the growing popularity, the authorities and the images, the responses to Thomas? The storm on the North Sea and his going above the clouds?

15. His mother and father, their concern, his mother coming north (the scene of Julien leaving)? Her anger with Christian? The pursuit, the search, the camera, the GPS? Their catching up, her pride in her son, the keys of the ultralight, giving them to him? Their following enthusiastically?

16. His landing with Bjorn’s friends, the final steps, the mayor and all the townspeople, media and fans on the lake, his bypassing that, landing at Christian’s house? The happy reunion with his parents?

17. The authorities, making good with the situation? Sceptical about the results?

18. Six months later, going to Lapland, fearing the experiment was a failure, and the geese all arriving?

19. Ultra happy ending – Christian and Paola in the ultralight!