''Jacky in Women's Kingdom'' () is a 2014 French

comedy film The comedy film is a film genre that emphasizes humor. These films are designed to amuse audiences and make them laugh. Films in this genre typically have a happy ending, with dark comedy being an exception to this rule. Comedy is one of the o ...

directed by

Riad Sattouf Riad Sattouf (; born 5 May 1978) is a French cartoonist, comics, comic artist, and film director. Sattouf is best known for his graphic memoir ''L'Arabe du futur'' (''The Arab of the Future'') and for his film The French Kissers, ''Les Beaux Goss ...

and starring Vincent Lacoste,

Charlotte Gainsbourg Charlotte Lucy Gainsbourg (; born 21 July 1971) is a British and French actress and singer. She is the daughter of English actress and singer Jane Birkin and French singer Serge Gainsbourg. After making her musical debut with her father on the ...

and

Didier Bourdon Didier Bourdon (; born 23 January 1959) is a French actor, screenwriter, and film director.

Plot

Bubunne is a

matriarchal Matriarchy is a social system in which positions of power and privilege are held by women. In a broader sense it can also extend to moral authority, social privilege, and control of property. While those definitions apply in general English, ...

totalitarian Totalitarianism is a political system and a form of government that prohibits opposition from political parties, disregards and outlaws the political claims of individual and group opposition to the state, and completely controls the public sph ...

country led by the ruthless La Générale (Generaless). In Bubunne, the roles of men and women are reversed, up to the point where the male population is deprived of any civil rights, including work, education, military service, freedom of marriage etc. Men wear veils called "Voilerie" that are similar to burqas but without covering the entire face; they have a large tunic and with a ring around their chins (Unmarried men wear rings with a hole in them while married men wear filled rings). People worship The White Horses (making horses sacred animals) and the only source of nourishment is "Mush" (tasteless viscous liquid delivered from waterpipe-like sinks). The country is isolated from the rest of the world, borders are guarded by armed squads, and public executions are in order (the condemned being mostly men). Jacky is an over-popular handsome young man, who lives in poverty with his widow mother, and crushes on La Colonelle (Coloness), the Generaless's daughter and the future leader of the state. Jacky is also one of the few boys with at least some education: his paternal uncle Julin (Michel Hazanavicius) -

gigolo A gigolo ( ) is a male escort, call boy or social companion who is supported by a person in a continuing relationship. The term ''gigolo'' usually implies a man who adopts a lifestyle consisting of a number of such relationships serially rat ...

and

contraband Contraband (from Medieval French ''contrebande'' "smuggling") is any item that, relating to its nature, is illegal to be possessed or sold. It comprises goods that by their nature are considered too dangerous or offensive in the eyes of the leg ...

ist, also a

masculism Masculism or masculinism may variously refer to ideologies and socio-political movements that seek to eliminate discrimination against men, or increase adherence to or promotion of attributes regarded as typical of males. The terms may also re ...

revolutionist - teaches the nephew literacy. Jacky's maternal aunt, with two husbands, is quite rich and her two sons constantly bully Jacky for being so poor. Generaless proclaims a grand ball, at which the Lead Rider (the current leader's husband) will be chosen for her daughter as she succeeds to become ruler of Bubun. Jacky's mother cannot afford a ticket to the ball, and Jacky desperately tries to make Julin give up the "treasure" left by Jacky's father. Jacky reports Julin to the police, yet unexpectedly authorities find Julin guilty of treason (printing illegal pamphlets) and incarcerate him for subsequent hanging.

Sheriff A sheriff is a government official, with varying duties, existing in some countries with historical ties to England where the office originated. There is an analogous, although independently developed, office in Iceland, the , which is common ...

ess, grateful to Jacky for informing her, leaves him a free ticket to the ball. After Jacky's mother dies (ironically, due to Jacky's own actions; sleepless because of the ball preparations, he cleaned her boots so well that she slipped), his aunt takes him in, but refuses to let him come to the ball. At this point, Jacky flees the village, only to be caught by Sherifess and immediately rescued by Julin (who escaped imprisonment by " riding wardens until they were knocked out"). Together, they manage to get to the palace. While Julin intends to sell his stash of

vegetables Vegetables are edible parts of plants that are consumed by humans or other animals as food. This original meaning is still commonly used, and is applied to plants collectively to refer to all edible plant matter, including flowers, fruits, ...

and get money for crossing the border, Jacky wants to get to the ceremony and confess his love to Coloness. During the ball, Coloness invites Jacky (disguised as a female officer) to her quarters and tells him that she does not want to be the new Generaless, and tries to seduce him (believing Jacky to be a woman). The Generaless, however, interrupts them, as she has already chosen the Lead Rider for her daughter. Jacky's cover is blown when his relatives recognize him, and he finally tells the Coloness he loves her, revealing himself to be a man. When Generaless orders Jacky to be caught and killed, he ventures deeper into the palace, discovering that "paste" is actually processed and enriched

feces Feces (also known as faeces American and British English spelling differences#ae and oe, or fæces; : faex) are the solid or semi-solid remains of food that was not digested in the small intestine, and has been broken down by bacteria in the ...

(as the Generaless's adjutant puts it, "the poor eat their own shit and are happy"). To reveal the truth, Jacky overloads the main cauldron, making the country realize what their food is made of. Hiding under the Coloness's bed, Jacky convinces her of his love and spends a night with her, stating that he will love her regardless of who she is. In the morning, she shows him a crowd of men outside the palace: the entire country believes Jacky to be a hero (not without Julin's provocation). Jacky is then captured and sentenced to death, yet Generaless offers him a deal: life and marriage to her daughter in exchange for his cooperation in preventing rebellion. When he agrees, she tries to cut off his tongue (stating that Jacky "has seen too much"), but is immediately strangled to death by Coloness. Together, the two open the borders of Bubunne, establish

democracy Democracy (from , ''dēmos'' 'people' and ''kratos'' 'rule') is a form of government in which political power is vested in the people or the population of a state. Under a minimalist definition of democracy, rulers are elected through competitiv ...

and introduce

emancipation Emancipation generally means to free a person from a previous restraint or legal disability. More broadly, it is also used for efforts to procure Economic, social and cultural rights, economic and social rights, civil and political rights, po ...

, as well as restore the country's

agriculture Agriculture encompasses crop and livestock production, aquaculture, and forestry for food and non-food products. Agriculture was a key factor in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created ...

. In the last scene, when Coloness and Jacky are about to officially marry, they announce that Bubunne wants "no more secrets from its people" and strip naked in front of the crowd, revealing that Coloness is actually a man, and that they, in fact, just entered

gay marriage Same-sex marriage, also known as gay marriage, is the marriage of two people of the same legal sex. marriage between same-sex couples is legally performed and recognized in 38 countries, with a total population of 1.5 billion people (20% ...

(since Generaless had no daughters despite years of trying, she wanted her last child to become the state leader despite being male). The film ends with a woman holding a baby from the crowd yelling "

Blasphemy Blasphemy refers to an insult that shows contempt, disrespect or lack of Reverence (emotion), reverence concerning a deity, an object considered sacred, or something considered Sanctity of life, inviolable. Some religions, especially Abrahamic o ...

Cast

* Vincent Lacoste as Jacky *

as The female colonel *

Didier Bourdon Didier Bourdon (; born 23 January 1959) is a French actor, screenwriter, and film director.

as Brunu *

Anémone Anne Bourguignon (; 9 August 1950 – 30 April 2019), known professionally as Anémone (), was a French actress, filmmaker and political activist. She took her stage name in 1968 from the title of her film debut in Philippe Garrel's ''Anémone ...

as The female general *

Valérie Bonneton Valérie Bonneton (born 5 April 1970) is a French actress. Life and career Bonneton was born in Somain, Nord department. Her father was an insurance salesman and her mother a housewife. She grew up in neighbouring Aniche and fell in love ...

as The sheriff *

Michel Hazanavicius Michel Hazanavicius ( ; born 29 March 1967) is a French film director, screenwriter, editor, and producer. He is best known for his 2011 film, ''The Artist (film), The Artist'', which won the Academy Award for Best Picture at the 84th Academy Aw ...

as Julin *

Noémie Lvovsky Noémie Lvovsky (; born 14 December 1964) is a French film director, screenwriter, and actress. She is best known for directing ''Camille Rewinds and Life Doesn't Scare Me,'' and for her roles in ''My Wife Is an Actress, House of Tolerance, Sum ...

as Tata *

as Mit Kronk *

Valeria Golino Valeria Golino (born 22 October 1965) is an Italian actress and film director. She is best known to English-language audiences for her roles in '' Rain Man'', '' Big Top Pee-wee'', and '' Hot Shots!'', where she performed the "olive-in-the-belly ...

as Bradi Vune *

India Hair India Hair (born 1987) is a French actress. Early life Hair was born in Saumur a town in western France, to an American father and an English mother. She graduated from the regional conservatory of Nantes in 2007 and the Conservatoire national ...

as Corune *

William Lebghil William Lebghil (born 9 July 1990) is a French actor. Filmography Theater References External links * {{DEFAULTSORT:Lebghil, William 1990 births Living people French male film actors French male television actors 21st-century Fr ...

as Vergio *

Laure Marsac Laure Marsac (born 18 February 1970) is a French actress. She has appeared in more than fifty films since 1984 and won the César Award for Best Female Revelation in 1985. Personal life Marsac is married to director Ivan Taïeb. Together they h ...

as Jacky's mother *

Emmanuelle Devos Emmanuelle Devos (born 10 May 1964) is a French actress. She is the daughter of actress Marie Henriau. She won the César Award for Best Actress in 2002 for her performance in ''Sur mes lèvres'', directed by Jacques Audiard. She has also been ...

as The female presenter

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Jacky in Women's Kingdom 2014 films 2010s French-language films 2014 comedy films French comedy films Films directed by Riad Sattouf French feminist films 2010s feminist films 2010s French films Matriarchy French-language comedy films