“Chicken for Linda!” (“Linda Veut du Poulet!”) is a pure, uncomplicated story that’s beautifully and lovingly told through hand-drawn animation. Using a basic color palate of primary colors, an upbeat score, and original songs, co-writers and co-directors Sébastien Laudenbach and Chiara Malta’s storytelling feels highly personal with a clear, simplified vision that’s also stylized in a very unique way.
Widowed mother Paulette (voice of Clotilde Hesme) is feeling a lot of guilt after punishing her daughter Linda (voice of Mélinée Leclerc) for something she didn’t do. Wanting to make it up to her, Paulette is determined to cook her child’s favorite dish, chicken with peppers, just like her late father used to make. The problem is that Paulette never learned her way around the kitchen, but that won’t stop her from finding the ingredients for the perfect meal. Of course, the country’s strike may thwart her plans, as it will be nearly impossible to do much of anything today.
The two embark on a mission around the neighborhood to find everything they need for the family recipe, crossing paths with a menagerie of townsfolk and friends that are happy to help them out. The film gives a glimpse into that window of childhood from a kid’s perspective, a carefree time of freedom, wonder, and happy chaos. Laudenbach and Malta capture this feeling perfectly, bridging the world of childhood with the world of adulthood in a touching ending where mother and daughter come together to grieve their late husband and father.
It’s a small-scale story that’s rooted in painful themes about grief and healing, but the heavier material never overshadows the film’s positivity. The animation is delightful and the narrative tender, especially since it’s all about a mother doing everything in her power to make her daughter feel happiness. If you grew up in the kitchen with a parent or grandparent who has died, this film will touch you on a deeper level. It’s not sad, but will rekindle that fondness of a shared love of food and cooking with a beautiful sentiment all around.
“Chicken for Linda!” is helped along by its brief 76 minute run time because its eccentricity makes it feel long in parts. Foodies and fans of animated films will find a lot to savor here.
By: Louisa Moore
Screen Zealots 