Directed by:
Yann SamuellScreenplay:
Yann SamuellCinematography:
Julien HirschComposer:
Klaus BadeltCast:
Eric Elmosnino, Mathilde Seigner, Fred Testot, Alain Chabat, Bastien Bouillon, Théo Fernandez, Christian Hecq, Arno Feffer, Vincent Bres, Salomé Lemire (more)Plots(1)
It is 1960, a village in the south of France. A gang of boys, aged between 7 and 14, led by the intrepid Lebrac, is at war with children of a neighbouring village, their sworn enemies. It is a war that has lasted for generations, a war without end and without concession. To defend their honour and proclaim their loyalty, the boy warriors will do anything to show that are the stronger side – even if it means fighting battles in the nude or admitting a girl into their esteemed ranks. The only thing these brave soldiers fear is to be caught by their parents after a skirmish has left them deprived of buttons and with their clothes in tatters. In that event, discretion is most definitely the better part of valour. (AZ Films)
(more)Reviews (2)
War of the Buttons is like the Czech TV series Bylo nás pět (“We Were a Handful”). I’d love to know who copied from whom, but my guess is it was the French copying from the Czechs. That’s pretty clear. Other than that, the movie is nice, but as I say, Bajza from the Czech series is better and a lot easier for me to identify with. ()
It's a pretty standard adaptation, with nothing that stands out as original, but on the other hand, you get what you expect from this film. Lots of kids waging their own war, which is sometimes surprisingly cruel. However, it is also an allegory for the efforts of adults. War is always rough, even in its childish form. ()