Little Jesus

Little Jesus
FrenchPetit Jésus
Directed byJulien Rigoulot
Written byBenjamin Charbit
Sophie Glaas
Julien Rigoulot
Produced byPierre Even
Laetitia Galitzine
StarringAntoine Bertrand
Esteban Azuara Eymard
Gérard Darmon
CinematographyEmmanuel Soyer
Edited byOlivier Gajan
Music byMathieu Lafontaine
Production
companies
Chapka Films
Item 7
Wild Bunch
Distributed byWild Bunch
Sphere Distribution
Release date
  • July 12, 2023 (2023-07-12)
Running time
95 minutes
CountriesCanada
France
LanguageFrench

Little Jesus (French: Petit Jésus) is a 2023 Canadian-French co-produced comedy film, directed by Julien Rigoulot. The film stars Antoine Bertrand as Jean, a recently divorced father who becomes convinced that his son Louis (Esteban Azuara Eymard) is the Second Coming of Jesus.

Cast

Loulou, a ten-year-old boy • Esteban Azuara Eymard
Jean, Loulou's father • Antoine Bertrand
Alice, Loulou's mother • Caroline Anglade
Bernard, Jean's father • Gérard Darmon
Rémy, a priest • Bruno Sanches
Hakim, a lawyer and Jean's friend • Youssef Hajdi
Judge • Ludivine de Chastenet
Dr. Essaïdi • Lisa Brebion

Production

Shooting took place from 30 May through 7 July 2002 in the area of Perpignan, France.

Release

The film opened in French theatres in July 2023. It had its Canadian premiere at the 2023 Cinéfest Sudbury International Film Festival.

Reception

David Brejon found the film funny, poetic, and moving, awarding it 3 stars.

Writing for Première, Thierry Chèze gave the film 2 stars for not really delivering enough on the film's interesting premise.

Writing for Bulles de culture, Antoine Corte praised the scenic backdrop and the direction of a child actor in his first role in the director's first film, but faulted what he considered lazy characterization (Gérard Darmon's character is a carbon-copy of his role in La Flamme) and a comic religious story that makes little impact.

Writing foe Télérama, Frédéric Strauss criticized the film's pacing, its treatment of Loulou as a circus animal surrounded by childish characters, and what he called its mockery of the Catholic Church.

References

  1. ↑ Corinne Renou-Nativel, "« Petit Jésus », les miracles de Louis". La Croix, July 12, 2023.
  2. ↑ Fabien Lemercier, "Antoine Bertrand soon to star in Petit Jésus". Cineuropa, April 26, 2022.
  3. ↑ "Julien Rigoulot tourne "Petit Jésus"". Occitanie-films.fr. Retrieved 25 August 2026.
  4. ↑ "Cinéma : «Yo Mama», «Petit Jésus»... ces 4 comédies françaises à voir en juillet". CNews, July 6, 2023.
  5. ↑ "Sudbury-shot 'traumedy' to be a Cinefest special presentation", The Sudbury Star, July 27, 2023
  6. ↑ Brejon, Jean. "Critique du film PETIT JÉSUS". Abus du ciné (in French). Retrieved 25 August 2026.
  7. ↑ Chèze, Thierry. "Critiques de Petit Jésus". Première (in French). Retrieved 25 August 2026.
  8. ↑ Corte, Antoine. "Critique / "Petit Jésus" (2023) de Julien Rigoulot". Bulles de culture (in French). Retrieved 25 August 2026.
  9. ↑ Strauss, Frédéric (11 July 2023). ""Petit Jésus" : une comédie poussive qui ridiculise l'Église". Télérama (in French). Retrieved 25 August 2026.