On summer vacation with his family in the Provencal countryside, 11-year-old Marcel (Ciamaca) befriends a local boy, Lili De Bellons (Molinas) with whom he explores the rural wonders of the region. But when his Uncle Jules (Pain), an accomplished woodsman, invites Marcel’s schoolteacher father, Joseph (Caubere) on a great bird hunt, the stage is set for a different kind of adventure all together.

This idyllic tale based on the childhood memoirs of novelist Marcel Pagnol flushes with the exuberance and joie de vivre of its charming young protagonist, whose episodic adventures Robert shapes with loving attention. Rock climbing, cave exploring, and other boyish pursuits are all on the agenda, but it all leads to a climactic encounter between Marcel’s father and uncle, who have differing views on religion they debate at mealtimes. Nostalgic and genuinely merry, “Glory” beautifully captures the joys of childhood in a supremely magical place.