Bonjour Timothy is a coming of age story of a young French-Canadian girl who goes on exchange to Auckland. The story follows Timothy, played by Dean O'Gorman, a young New Zealand boy who develops a crush on Michelle, played by Sabine Karsenti, the young French-Canadian girl from Montreal who is living with his family on her exchange. The story follows Timothy, a social underdog in his school, as he goes through a period of self-discovery, and tries to gain the attention of his crush, Michelle. This story depicts the trials and tribulations associated with being in high school, and the awkward stages that accompany being a young adult.
The New Zealand Film Commission describes Bonjour Timothy as, "In Bonjour Timothy (1995) the underdog wins the affection of the girl against all odds, in a film about coming-of-age anxieties over sex and love" (Aveyard, Moran & Veith 2018).[1][2]
1996 Berlin Film Festival; Kinderfilmfest, Children's Jury - Honourable Mention
1995 New Zealand Film and Television Awards; Nominated for Best Director, Best Male in a Dramatic Role (Dean O'Gorman), Best Female in a Dramatic Role (Sylvia Rands) and Best Male Performance in a Supporting Role (Milan Borich)
1995 Cinemagic International Film and Television Festival for Young People (Northern Ireland); Best Feature Film
1995 Griffoni Film Festival (Italy); Critics Prize, Nominated for Best Actor (Dean O'Gorman)