En fanfare

Director Emmanuel Courcol masterfully crafts a bittersweet comedy that flows effortlessly, much like the music at its core. The plot is simple: two brothers, separated at birth, reunite as adults. One is a celebrated orchestra conductor, while the other is a chef. For one, music represents a thriving career; for the other, it is a hard-earned passion, kept alive within a scrappy village band in northern France. Despite their contrasting lives, their shared love for music forges an unbreakable bond.

The music, with its universal language, unites and breaks down barriers between individuals. In the same vein, the film conveys a poignant message of empathy, solidarity, and brotherhood-a message that feels more vital than ever today.

It's only the beginning of 2025 and already I feel like I've seen the best movie of the year.

It's one of the best movies I have ever seen.

'En Fanfare' reminds me a bit of 'Brassed Off', also about a brass band but then in a coal mine in The United Kingdom.

The beautiful classic music ties in nicely with the beautiful song 'Emmenez moi' of Charles Aznavour, my favourite French singer. The two leading actors - Benjamin Lavernhe and Pierre Lotin - are excellent in their roles of two brothers who only verly late in live know that they are brothers. It's a drama but with a lot of warmth and some laughs.

One can completely empathize with this realistic and deeply human story.

I highly recommend everyone to watch this beautiful film, but on the big screen in the cinema.

And when the film ended, there was applause from part of the almost full hall. I had never experienced this before in cinema, and I have been going for many years.

I don't have an easy tear, but my eyes were shining as I left the hall.

Masterful performance by Benjamin Lavernhe. The story is very nice, light but not superficial, never dull.

Many melodies run through the film, the comedy, the drama, the 'protest' film (it reminded me of Kean Loach).

The red thread is music, in its purest manifestations from classical to jazz. The popular declination is very successful, making it a film for everyone. I will take my 9- and 12-year-old children to see it.

I think the only "flaw" in the film is the direction. Some parts of the film are not tied together well. But the rendering is still effective and, above all, emotionally impactful.

I was moved by this film in many ways (even though I saw it dubbed over in German in a German cinema), but one quality stood out to me: the care that had been given to really portraying music in the making: The rehearsal scenes of both the orchestras seemed very real to me, no-one was mimicking to play an instrument, they could all really play and apparently seemed to do so. For real! This is quite exceptional, for it isn't easy to find people who can both act and play an instrument.

The composing scene, with the 'composer' working with pencil and paper on the piano, was the only scene that musically struck me as a bit unrealistic, for it would be hard to find a composer under 50 that doesn't use a computer to write the notes.

It was also really moving to see how even the most different styles in music can travel straight to the heart and have an important function in peoples lives.

For the rest I found the story moving, original and well performed.

A moving rendition of the bond between two brothers at opposite ends of the social spectrum, of what a life's achievement means, and of the consequences of single decisions by parents on a child's destiny.

The screenplay manages to blend funny dialogues, unexpected situations, and serious moments. What could have been "only" a sad drama escapes that trap. With a great supporting cast, B Lavernhe and P Lottin succeed in bringing to life the bond and tension between a renowned director and an amateur brass band member E Courcol's, M Tomersy's, O Bonduel's, I Muscari and K Amara's storytelling and the quality of acting combine to make it one the great movies I've seen this year.