On the Sly (ATOM Study Guide)

On the Sly (2011) is a Belgian-French feature film directed by Olivier Ringer.

On the Sly is suitable for senior secondary students undertaking English, French, Health and Human Development, Literature and Media.

Teachers may find the film relevant to units of work for upper primary and junior and middle secondary students in the strand of Physical, Personal and Social Learning and in the following VELS domains:

• English
• LOTE – French
• The Arts – Media
• The Humanities

Language: French with English subtitles

Length: 77 minutes

Synopsis

This weekend, like every other, six-year-old Cathy is expected to accompany her parents to the countryside. Her parents think that this is for the best but Cathy, stuck in the back seat of the family car, wonders why she can't just stay at home.

The weekend is just like all the others. Her father goes fishing without her. Her mother goes shopping without her. When a farm labourer gives Cathy some magic seeds, she is no longer bored. Cathy plants the magic seeds and then wants to stay and watch them grow.

Cathy is convinced that she is invisible to her parents. So when it is time to return to Paris, Cathy decides to disappear. She believes that her parents won't even notice that she is missing. Cathy slams the car door and her parents think that she is in the back seat. They leave, unaware that Cathy is still standing in the driveway. Cathy's suspicions are confirmed. She is invisible.

Her parents return later in the evening but Cathy does not answer their calls. She thinks that they will punish her. After a night spent in the dog's kennel, Cathy explores the house and then sets about filling her day. She catches a fish, tends to her magic seeds and explores the forest. The police arrive and Cathy fears that she will be sent to jail. When a nosy neighbour almost finds her, Cathy runs into the forest.

Lost in the forest, her vision of the world changes. She must fend for herself. Cathy feeds herself, protects herself from predators and finds shelter from bad weather. It is not until her father starts imagining the world as Cathy does, that anything can change.