Jumbo

“He makes me feel things, Mum! Like you want me to with boys.”

He is strong and he shines in all the colours of the rainbow. Using his many arms, he throws Jeanne into the air, all the while holding her tight. He is Jumbo, a fairground ride. And Jeanne, who collects rubbish in the amusement park at night, is in love with him. However the shy young woman’s affection for a machine causes a lot of dismay: Her mother, who is usually very open when it comes to sexuality, feels ashamed of Jeanne. And Marc, the amusement park director, would prefer to have her at his side. In her debut film, Zoé Wittock portrays an eccentric love affair that leaves a tingling sensation like a high-adrenaline freefall ride and is jolting like a collision on the dodgems.
by Zoé Wittock
with Noémie Merlant, Emmanuelle Bercot, Bastien Bouillon, Sam Louwyck, Tracy Dossou, William Abello, Jonathan Bartholome
France / Belgium / Luxembourg 2019 French 94’ Colour

With

  • Noémie Merlant (Jeanne)
  • Emmanuelle Bercot (Margarette)
  • Bastien Bouillon (Marc)
  • Sam Louwyck (Hubert)
  • Tracy Dossou (Fati)
  • William Abello (Technician)
  • Jonathan Bartholome (Skinny Guy)

Crew

Written and Directed by Zoé Wittock
Cinematography Thomas Buelens
Editing Thomas Fernandez
Music Thomas Roussel
Sound Design Ingo Dumlich
Sound Mixing Mike Butcher
Sound Grégory Lannoy
Production Design William Abello
Costumes Carine Ceglarski-Rando
Make-Up Sophie Garlinskas
Assistant Director Bruno Du Bois
Casting Nilton Martins, Claire Beugnies
Production Manager Bernard De Dessus Les Moustier
Producer Anaïs Bertrand
Executive Producer Marie-Sophie Volkenner
Co-Producers Gilles Chanial, Annabella Nezri
Co-Production Les Films Fauves Differdingen
Kwassa Films Brüssel

Produced by

Insolence Production

Zoé Wittock

Born in Belgium, she grew up in various countries before settling in France at the age of 17 and beginning to work in film. In 2008, she participated in Berlinale Talents and was selected for the directing programme of the American Film Institute. After this training, she returned to Belgium and France. Her most recent short film, A demi-mot, was broadcast on French television and released on Netflix. Her debut feature film, Jumbo, premiered at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival.

Filmography

2008 This Is Not an Umbrella; short film 2013 A demi-mot; short film 2019 Jumbo

Bio- & filmography as of Berlinale 2020