The French film that beat Dune 2 at the box office

As a film that's on its way to become the movie of the year, Artus' record breaking comedy Un P'tit truc en plus has garnered a staggering 5,800,185 admissions at the box office, far surpassing Dune 2 which accumulated 4.10 million. With these numbers, the film is already the biggest success of the year in French cinemas, and according to experts it could reach the 10 million mark should it stay in theatres. The record numbers don't stop here: according to cSmovieFrance, the French film has been in the global top 10 for five consecutive weeks. Given the impressive success, some are already predicting a Hollywood adaptation.

The film follows the story of a father and his son who, while running from the police, find refuge in a summer camp for young adults with disabilities. To blend in, the son pretends to be one of the participants, while the father poses as his caregiver. Together, they experience an extraordinary human adventure. In addition to its commercial success, the film is praised for its representation of people with disabilities, something unfortunately rare in the cinematic world. During the red carpet at the Festival de Cannes, Artus carried actor Sofian Ribes up the steps, due to the lack of accessibility for the latter who uses a wheelchair. An image that warmed the hearts of many internet users but also sparked public anger over the lack of consideration for people with reduced mobility. Fadila Khattabi, the minister for people with disabilities, stated: «It is no longer acceptable to see such images, it is an affront to the dignity of the person to have to be carried to the top.»

Also at the Festival de Cannes, Artus lamented that no luxury brand wanted to dress the cast. In response to the controversy, the group Kering finally offered to take care of the team. A sad confirmation of the disregard and contempt for people with disabilities completely normalised in the film industry. Nonetheless, the success story is unlikely to end anytime soon. Good news for French cinema, proving it has nothing to envy of Hollywood giants.