Jumbo

French director Zoé Wittock makes her feature debut with this sensitive romantic fantasy about a socially unacceptable love affair. Noémie Merlant plays introverted theme-park worker Jeanne, a young woman with a keen fascination with amusement carousels who still lives at home with her single mother Margarette (Emmanuelle Bercot). However, when a ride called Jumbo is installed, it gives new meaning to the phrase "theme park attraction" as Jeanne becomes infatuated with the new arrival. Despite the intriguing, surrealist realisation of these particular romantic overtures, Wittock maintains a grounded perspective filled with nuance and understanding so the viewer never feels alienated from Jeanne as much as the people around her. Merlant infuses just the right balance of vulnerability, angst and naivety into her performance, and manages to compel both affection and empathy for the taboo subject of "object sexuality".