Calamity
Calamity
Your feedback improves this guide
Your feedback highlights guides that need a second look and keeps the rating trustworthy.
Does this age rating seem accurate to you?
Sign in to vote
Watch-outs
What this film brings
Content barometer
Violence
2/5
Moderate
Fear
2/5
A few scenes
Sexuality
0/5
None
Language
1/5
Mild
Narrative complexity
1/5
Accessible
Adult themes
1/5
Mild
Expert review
Calamity, a Childhood of Martha Jane Cannary is a French animated film directed by Rémi Chayé, set in 1863 in the American West. It follows young Martha Jane, who is forced to take charge of the family wagon after her father is injured, and who chooses to dress as a boy in order to break free from the constraints imposed on girls of the era. The film explicitly engages with gender stereotypes rooted in pioneer America, as Martha Jane is repeatedly rejected, judged and ridiculed for refusing expected female roles, which forms a central and recurring theme of the narrative. Parents are encouraged to use this as an opportunity to discuss gender equality with their children, noting that the prejudices shown on screen reflect a bygone era. The film also contains some scenes of tension and peril, including a false accusation of theft and a pursuit, but overall remains accessible and carries strong positive messages about self-assertion.
Synopsis
1863, a convoy in the American West, Martha Jane needs to learn how to take care of horses to drive the family wagon. Except she ends up wearing pants and cutting her hair. The scandal that its stark character provokes will force to face all the dangers in a gigantic and wild world where everything is possible.
Difficult scenes
Martha Jane's father is seriously injured in a wagon accident, leaving the family without a capable adult to drive the convoy. This scene establishes a form of distress linked to abandonment and the vulnerability of a child suddenly left alone to face adult responsibilities, which may affect young viewers who are sensitive to fears about losing a parent. Martha Jane is wrongly accused of theft by Abraham, the convoy leader, and finds herself ostracized and forced to flee alone into the wilderness. This scene of injustice and social exclusion can be emotionally difficult for children who are strongly sensitive to unfairness or the feeling of rejection. Throughout the film, Martha Jane is repeatedly mocked, humiliated and pushed away by both boys and girls in the convoy because she wears male clothing and refuses to conform to expected gender behaviors. These recurring scenes of belittlement may resonate painfully with children who have experienced situations of exclusion or bullying. Martha Jane travels alone through wild and remote landscapes and faces several physically dangerous situations, including pursuits and confrontations with strangers. The atmosphere of an isolated and hostile frontier may generate sustained tension for more anxious young viewers.
Where to watch
No verified platform for the US market yet. We keep this section updated as availability changes.
About this title
- Format
- Feature film
- Year
- 2020
- Runtime
- 1h 24m
- Countries
- Denmark, France
- Original language
- FR
- Directed by
- Rémi Chayé
- Main cast
- Salomé Boulven, Alexandra Lamy, Alexis Tomassian, Jochen Hägele, Léonard Louf, Santiago Barban, Damien Witecka, Philippe Vincent, Jérémy Bardeau, Pascal Casanova
- Studios
- Maybe Movies, France 3 Cinéma, 2 Minutes, Nørlum, 22D Music
Content barometer
Violence
2/5
Moderate
Fear
2/5
A few scenes
Sexuality
0/5
None
Language
1/5
Mild
Narrative complexity
1/5
Accessible
Adult themes
1/5
Mild
Expert review
Calamity, a Childhood of Martha Jane Cannary is a French animated film directed by Rémi Chayé, set in 1863 in the American West. It follows young Martha Jane, who is forced to take charge of the family wagon after her father is injured, and who chooses to dress as a boy in order to break free from the constraints imposed on girls of the era. The film explicitly engages with gender stereotypes rooted in pioneer America, as Martha Jane is repeatedly rejected, judged and ridiculed for refusing expected female roles, which forms a central and recurring theme of the narrative. Parents are encouraged to use this as an opportunity to discuss gender equality with their children, noting that the prejudices shown on screen reflect a bygone era. The film also contains some scenes of tension and peril, including a false accusation of theft and a pursuit, but overall remains accessible and carries strong positive messages about self-assertion.
Synopsis
1863, a convoy in the American West, Martha Jane needs to learn how to take care of horses to drive the family wagon. Except she ends up wearing pants and cutting her hair. The scandal that its stark character provokes will force to face all the dangers in a gigantic and wild world where everything is possible.
Difficult scenes
Martha Jane's father is seriously injured in a wagon accident, leaving the family without a capable adult to drive the convoy. This scene establishes a form of distress linked to abandonment and the vulnerability of a child suddenly left alone to face adult responsibilities, which may affect young viewers who are sensitive to fears about losing a parent. Martha Jane is wrongly accused of theft by Abraham, the convoy leader, and finds herself ostracized and forced to flee alone into the wilderness. This scene of injustice and social exclusion can be emotionally difficult for children who are strongly sensitive to unfairness or the feeling of rejection. Throughout the film, Martha Jane is repeatedly mocked, humiliated and pushed away by both boys and girls in the convoy because she wears male clothing and refuses to conform to expected gender behaviors. These recurring scenes of belittlement may resonate painfully with children who have experienced situations of exclusion or bullying. Martha Jane travels alone through wild and remote landscapes and faces several physically dangerous situations, including pursuits and confrontations with strangers. The atmosphere of an isolated and hostile frontier may generate sustained tension for more anxious young viewers.