We watched a recent French rom-com, Populaire, from 2012. The story is charming; it’s a sort of screw-ball comedy set against a background of regional, national and international speed-typing championships. In the end, and happily, the girl gets the boy.

The midcentury-modern style of the film was lovely too. Sort of Jacques Demy inspired, and with a nod to Jean Cocteau too. Look at the typing hands in the picture frames on the wall, above.

In amongst all the fun was a serious film about the hopelessly limited options of provincial life in post-WW2 France; especially for most young women; whose lives would mostly be circumscribed within a five-mile radius of limited opportunity. In that context, the trajectory of leaving home, secretarial work, and independence was exciting and liberating.

This was exactly the ind of film that we needed in lock-down. I recommend.