1970 film by Frédéric Back

"Taratata is a tribute to the parades that used to be held on Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day, Quebec's national holiday. These parades were an occasion to honour traditional values or demonstrate progress by way of allegorical floats. Presented each year on June 24 in cities and towns all over Quebec, they gave local musicians and brass bands a chance to display their talents. Children adored the pageant with its splendid uniforms. The day would end with a great fireworks display. I wanted to evoke this popular celebration once again, emphasizing what was charming, ridiculous or pretentious."
F.B.

An illustration of beings in a world where countless plant and animal species rapidly become extinct, and resources run dry due to greed. However, it is possible to avoid disaster by conserving and sharing what we have.

The Oscar® he won for Crac! allowed Frédéric Back to fulfil his dream of bringing Jean Giono's wonderful story The Man Who Planted Trees to the screen. In more distilled form, its environmental message and philosophy of life reflect the concerns already addressed by Back in his previous films. The seeds that the shepherd plants are the symbol of all our actions, good and bad, which have far-reaching consequences we can scarcely imagine. It is up to us to think and act in accordance with our hopes for the future, and, if possible, to leave behind us a world more beautiful and promising than the one we inherited.

"Every living thing that shares the planet with us has had to adapt and evolve over millions of years. Every flower, every insect, every animal is a miracle waiting to be discovered, a marvel to be respected and loved. But we like to replace them with our own inventions, served up by the magicians of advertising, the promoters of progress and over-consumption. Unfortunately, these inventions are outmoded all too quickly. They break down, often taking with them that which is essential to our lives and happiness, the elements needed to sustain the real miracles accomplished by nature."
F.B.

1981 film by Frédéric Back

The story of one shepherd's single-handed quest to re-forest a desolate valley in the foothills of the French Alps throughout the first half of the 20th century.