June12,2022(2022-06-12)(Dances With Films Festival)
July21,2022(2022-07-21)(US)
Running time
100 minutes
Country
United States
Languages
English French
Goodbye, Petrushka is a 2022 American romantic comedy film directed by Nicola Rose, starring Lizzie Kehoe, Thomas Vieljeux and Casey Landman. Written by Rose and produced by Rose and Tierney Boorboor, it explores the themes of art, love, and growing up through the characters of Claire, a young American puppeteer at the start of her career; and Thibaut, a French figure skater at the end of his. They meet in New York, then again in Paris, and affect each other's lives in unexpected ways.
Claire, an American college student and aspiring puppeteer, dreams of going to live in France — not least because she has a crush on Thibaut, a French figure skater. Accompanied by her rich, unhinged best friend Julia, Claire goes to France, where she faces multiple troubles, including an odious job as a jeune fille au pair and a toxic relationship.
Claire also meets Thibaut in person, only to discover he is at the end of his career, facing his own struggles and depression. The two devise to create an on-ice version of Igor Stravinsky's ballet Petrushka, combining skating and puppetry. Soon, though, the project is beset by its own problems, leaving Claire and Thibaut to figure out their roles in each other's lives.
Stephanie Archer of Film Inquiry wrote that the film "navigates the turbulent experience of challenging reality with ambition, pushing past the naysayers to deliver something one can be proud of."[1]
Alan Ng of Film Threat gave the film a score of 7 out of 10 and called it a "heartfelt narrative", writing that it is "not a perfect film, but it’s a very personal one."[2]
Elias Savada of Film International wrote that "Rose’s world offers few other passersby in any of its worldly settings, so you’re pushed to accept Goodbye, Petrushka in its own microcosm."[3]
Julie Musbach of FF2 Media called Goodbye, Petrushka "an enjoyable and touching watch," writing, "There is no villain. There is no grand heartbreak. It’s a soft spoken, uniquely told tale of a girl trying to find her way."[4]
Director Nicola Rose noted in a later interview about her second feature film, Magnetosphere, that some viewers have interpreted Goodbye, Petrushka's main character Claire as neurodivergent and autistic.[5]
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
