A Boat in the Garden

Slocum et Moi

1950, France. François doesn’t quite understand his stepfather, Pierre. He’s serious, but not cold. He’s quiet, but holds strong opinions. The two don’t know how to talk to each other. One day, François observes Pierre working in the garden on a massive structure. Some light snooping reveals Pierre’s master plan, a boat. Not just any boat: it’s an exact (well, almost exact) replica of Spray, the sloop legendary sailor Joshua Slocum took on the first solo trip around the world. Soon François is obsessed with Slocum’s story. Noticing their shared interest, Pierre enlists him to help with construction. So begins a yearslong quest to finish the grand vessel. Though interspersed with epic scenes from Slocum’s original journey, A Boat in the Garden is less a swashbuckling adventure than a tender slice-of-life story. Fans of Jean-François Laguionie’s The Painting (NYICFF 2012) and The Prince’s Voyage (NYICFF 2017) will recognize his trademark, brush-stroked animation. A score of jaunty accordion music provides the soundtrack to this mediation on a young man’s journey to find his father, and himself.