The superbly talented and charasmatic Omar Sy of The I ntouchables and Demain Tout Commence breathes life into his energetic and brilliant portrayal of circus performer Chocolat (aka Rafael Padilla) whose chance meeting at a Provincial circus with an established performer George Footit, played by the remarkable James Thierrée (Charlie Chaplin’s relation), changes the course of his life forever. The Belle Epoch may have been a beautiful age for the wealthy and elite, however, Zem forces us to come to terms with the intense poverty and injustices of the time and of white supremacy and black oppression and the inequality that was prevalent and of which Europe was not immune to. Director Roschdy Zem masterfully evokes the Belle Epoch era and magically highlights this beautiful, enlightened age and the bohemian life of Paris in a time where the underbelly of Paris was portrayed in Toulouse-Lautrec paintings and the dark side of humanity hid behind velvet curtains and lurked in the darkest of alleys. Monsieur Chocolat is a moving, real life and heart felt story of the rise and fall of France’s first self emancipated slave and African-Cuban artist of the circus and stage. Monsieur Chocolat is 119 minutes of pure raw energy, emotion and captivating performances that force us to notice and examine the good and evil of humanity and the power of the creative mind.

Monsieur chocolat