Dubbed in Slovenian, with English subtitles

Ben is an ordinary 12-year-old: he goes to school, is a good student with a sense of ironic humour and a passion for music and food. He is a member of a music group where he writes lyrics and sings, but most of all he loves food. In the past, he has always humorously rejected barbs about his obesity, but everything changes with the new charming girl, Klara. Suddenly, his weight becomes a problem. So, despite his love of food, Ben decides to take drastic action – he starts dieting. In the process, he learns the importance of feeling good about yourself and trusting that those closest to you love you even when it doesn't seem like it.

Written by: Petr Jarchovský
Based on a book by: Mikaël Ollivier (La vie, en gros)
Music Composer: Michal Novinski
Director of Photography: Václav Fronk
Editing: Matej Beneš
Sound: David Titěra, Viktor Ekrt
Production Design: Kristina Dufková
Producers: Matěj Chlupáček, Agata Novinski, Marc Faye
Coproduction: Česká televize, RTVS, MagicLab
Dubbing: Sašo Kalan, SONOLAB, 2024
Distribution in Slovenia: Demiurg

Voices: Gašper Jarni, Blaž Šef, Vesna Pernarčič, Uroš Smolej, Vanja Plut, Lara Wolf, Nina Rakovec, Gašper Malnar, Iztok Lužar, Damjana Černe, Borut Veselko, Asja Kahrimanović, Maja Kunšič, Janja Majzelj, Vesna Slapar, Primož Pirnat

Living Large is an adaptation of a short novel by French author Mikaël Ollivier. It is one of Ollivier’s most significant works, having won numerous literary prizes, including the Prix des Incorruptibles, awarded annually by French children. An amusing look at problems associated with teenage years, it tells the story of children at the beginning of adolescence with humour and light irony. The book also deals with serious issues such as obesity and depression, but always with empathy and liberating humour. The story is also focused on the bonds between children and their parents and celebrates true friendship and its values when overcoming growing pains.

Director's Statement

Using the puppets for telling this story actually made sense from the beginning – animation just made it easier to tell the story more from the inside, with exaggeration, humour and lightness. It also made it easier to portray feelings and internal states. I chose to combine stop-motion with 2D animation not only for the visual variety, but because I wanted to show Ben’s inner world differently from what he is experiencing in real life. For that, combining two visual worlds felt the right thing to do.

Finding the right appearance for Ben was quite difficult. Designing his body to be attractive while also obese wasn’t an easy task, as I wanted to stay true to the fact that he actually feels fine with himself, the way he is, and it’s just people around him that put so much pressure on him.

Awards and festivals (selection):
- Contrechamp Jury Award, Annecy IAFF, 2024
- Animated Feature Film Nomination, European Film Awards 2024
- Locarno Kids, Locarno IFF, 2024
- Karlovy Vary IFF, 2024
- Tallin Black Nights FF, 2024
- Mostra - São Paulo IFF, 2024
- Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival, 2024