The Marching Band

Director: Emmanuel Courcol

The Marching Band

France, 2024, 103‘

Director: Emmanuel Courcol

Cast: Benjamin Lavernhe (Thibaut Desormeaux), Pierre Lottin (Jimmy Lecocq), Sarah Suco (Sabrina), Jacques Bonnaffé (Gilbert Woszniak), Clémence Massart-Weit (Claudine), Anne Loiret (Claire)

San Sebastián – City of Donostia Audience Award (Emmanuel Courcol); Cannes – In Competition

 

 

Thibaut is an internationally renowned conductor who travels the world. When he learns he was adopted, he discovers the existence of a younger brother, Jimmy, who works in a school cafeteria and plays the trombone in a small marching band. Everything seems to set them apart, except their love of music. Sensing his brother's exceptional talent, Thibaut decides to remedy the injustice of fate. Jimmy begins to dream of a different life...

The Marching Band is an old-fashioned tearjerker that asks large questions about identity and destiny through music. How choices are made for us in childhood are given an unusually sharp contrast here, combined with three excellent lead performances and the love of music at the story’s center. Anyone can listen to a song and play an instrument, but talent is not even half the battle if you want to do it for a living. It’s that difficulty of making a living that The Marching Band never forgets, making this an excellent depiction of talent and community.