Holy Cow

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1:39

Holy Cow

2025

1h 32m

Comedy

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

98%

Tomatometer

45 Reviews

83%

Popcornmeter

50+ Ratings

After the tragic death of his father, 18 year old Totone is thrust into the unexpected and very adult role of looking after his younger sister and their failing family farm in the Jura section of France. He assumes even more responsibility when he enters a cash competition for the best Comte cheese made in this western part of the French Alps. A "verité" look at the hardscrabble life of French agriculture, it is simultaneously a moving love story and above all an ode to the love of cheese.

Critics Consensus

Well-acted and endearing in its cultural specificity, Holy Cow is a gentle dramedy that churns up a lot of charm.

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Simran Hans

Sight & Sound

Nov 5

Faveau’s performance as a teenage boy struggling to express his emotions is unshowy but fine-tuned.

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Cath Clarke

Guardian

Aug 13

4/5

Faveau gives an amazingly subtle performance; Totone doesn’t say much but his fragility and complexity are all there, humour too in the little shrug of a shoulder.

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Jake Wilson

Sydney Morning Herald

Jul 24

3/5

There is something conservative in Holy Cow, perhaps wilfully so: an evident pride in a culture that maintains its standards and traditions, and a feeling the film might not be so different if it had been made a few decades back...

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Dave Golder

Radio Times

Apr 23

4/5

With bawdy humour, gorgeous scenery, deadpan performances, adolescent cheek, fumbling sex and a far-too-detailed calf's breech birth sequence, this is a compelling debut feature from director Louise Courvoisier.

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James Croot

The Post NZ

Jan 1

4/5

France’s answer to a Ken Loach movie or Charlotte Regan’s Scrapper, Louise Courvoisier’s double Cesar-winning dramedy and feature debut showcases some fabulous performances from its young, non-professional cast.

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Belen Prieto

Espinof

Oct 3

4/5

Humor and small gestures coexist with tragedy, ensuring that the film never speaks from a place of defeatism, but rather from a very human perspective. [Full review in Spanish]

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Bob P

@bobpotter50 Jun 5

Holy Cow this was dull. The characters were not well developed and the ending was out of nowhere. If you love reading subtitles knock yourself out, but I'm still confused by all the great reviews.

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Bob L

@RT76975801 May 10

I had a difficult time believing that the son of a dairy worker in a rural town almost entirely dedicated to niche cheese-making could be allowed to remain completely ignorant of the process, or that he'd ever physically put his obviously drunken dad behind the wheel of a car to drive himself home. Other than that, this quirky movie (one scene involves both cunnillingus and the delivery of a live baby cow) is a perfect setup for a Majic Mike style sequel (let's call it "Hard Cheese") where hot French guys can give strip shows and work glory holes to help Totone raise money for his cheesemaker certification.

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Katherine C

@RT15578709 Oct 10

Sensitively told, entertaining and amusing, and not formulaic first movie. Loved it!

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Rob W

@Mr_Inbetween Sep 5

Simple but beautifully told and acted. Even better if you love cheese 😁

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Wayne M

@Wayne93 Aug 7

Holy Cow is a thoughtful and authentic film about overcoming tragedy and striving for the best. It's full of passion and real life experiences. The film marks the feature film debut of Louise Courvoisier who is from the region of Jura in France where the film is set. Here we find teenager Totone who spends a carefree life with his friends. He also works for his father, a local cheesemaker. When his father is killed in a car accident it thrusts Totone into a stark reality. He not only has to care for his younger sister, but also find a fulltime job. When he hears of a local cheese competition that offers 30,000 in prizemoney it becomes his goal to gain entry and win. But with limited funds, he has to be very creative. This is a warm hearted film that is both a family drama and an ode to the traditional methods of regional France. The film also uses untrained actors, adding further authenticty to a wonderful little film.

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Andrew O.

@opfella Aug 1

French with subtitles. Very good.

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Louise Courvoisier

Director

Clément Faveau

Totone

Luna Garret

Claire

Mathis Bernard

Jean-Yves

Dimitry Baudry

Francis

Maïwène Barthelemy

Marie-Lise

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Holy Cow: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

After the tragic death of his father, 18 year old Totone is thrust into the unexpected and very adult role of looking after his younger sister and their failing family farm in the Jura section of France. He assumes even more responsibility when he enters a cash competition for the best Comte cheese made in this western part of the French Alps. A "verité" look at the hardscrabble life of French agriculture, it is simultaneously a moving love story and above all an ode to the love of cheese.

Director: Louise Courvoisier
Producer: Muriel Meynard
Screenwriter: Louise Courvoisier, Théo Abadie
Distributor: Zeitgeist Films
Production Co: Ex Nihilo
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Original Language: French
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 28, 2025, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 3, 2025
Box Office (Gross USA): $110.8K
Runtime: 1h 32m
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)