HOLIDAY AT ALL COST – World Premiere at “Dances with Films”

Donia Eden as Fanny, Max and Oumar Diaw as Fred
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Stevan Lee Mraovitch’s HOLIDAYS AT ALL COST Makes World Premiere at Dances With Films (DWF 24) September 7, at 7:00pm. This  film moves on to FESTIVALS ACROSS EUROPE,CANADA AND the US and IN SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER Paris, France.

Max

After many years in the making, including the unique challenges of directing a debut feature film during a pandemic, Mraovitch is excited to have HOLIDAYS AT ALL COST begin its festival run at one of the best-attended film festivals in Southern California, Dances with Films, for an in-person screening.

In this very French movie, a somewhat poignant situation moves to the ridiculous but ultimately conveys wisdom and insight into the human condition. After many years in the making, including the unique challenges of directing a debut feature film during a pandemic, Mraovitch is excited to have HOLIDAYS AT ALL COST begin its festival run at one of the best-attended film festivals in Southern California, Dances with Films, for an in-person screening September7 in Los Angeles at the TCL Chinese Theatre, 6925 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood, CA at 7:00 pm

Donia Eden as Fanny

Inspired by personal experience with parents choosing to make silent sacrifices to provide a “perfect” childhood trip for their son, this is a recognizable tale of struggle within the family dynamic that feels universal. “This is more than a story about an absurd and bizarre vacation,” says Mraovitch. “It is also an honest look into a family that evokes strong emotions, swinging on a pendulum between laughter and tears.” We meet Frederic (Oumar Diaw) who is a hard-working family man living in Paris with his Catalonian wife, Fanny (Donia Eden), ) and their young son Max. He has been a dedicated employee for the past decade, but Fred is not assertive enough to stand up to his swindling boss and is often left taken advantage of, and is overworked, as he struggles to make ends meet . After seven long years without a summer holiday, he is determined to give his family the vacation that will make his wife and son happy.  He will get them to the South of France in any way he can.  He is so desperate that he pulls rent money from the mail to finance the trip but there is a snafu.  

Benjamin Garnier as Jean-Luc

Somehow, Fred arranges a secret deal with an old friend of his and his wife. Jean-Luc (Benjamin Garnier), who is a luxury resort director.  While at the resort Fred must do a day’s work assigned by Jean-Luc. The increasingly odd series of jobs quickly begins to strain Fred and Fanny’s relationship, especially because Jean-Luc uses this the time when Fred is working to grow closer to Fanny.  As Jean-Luc reminds Fanny of her own hopes and dreams before she left this area he hopes to win her over.  This is a wedge in Fanny and Fred’s relationship forcing the couple to confront their ideas of happiness and love.

Oumaar Diaw as Fred find himself teaching a class

The acting was right on and the filming of the beauty of the south of France was a treat.

Jean-Luc and Fanny out for a lovely sail

With a serious and believable ending showing the couple’s growth as individuals, this is upbeat and inspirational and definitely, fun. In the era of COVID-19, this belly-laugh-inducing film about a brief escape from the crushing realities of real life, is apt for the big screen of the TCL Chinese Theatre. 

In the hot tub

Photos are courtesy of “HOLIDAYS AT ALL COST”

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