Based on the tall tales he was told by his grandmother, Fred Pellerin’s stories of life long ago in the village of Saint-Élie-de-Caxton are full of whimsy and wonder and the same is true of the latest hit screen adaptation of the beloved storyteller’s work. Directed by Francis Leclerc from a screenplay by Pellerin, this fantasy drama teleports viewers to a time and place where the quirks of small-town existence in 1920s Québec intermingle with matters that aren’t so familiar, with all of the strangeness stemming from a lightning strike that transforms the village’s apple tree into an instrument wielded by death itself. The only person who may be able to save the village is Bernadette (Jade Charbonneau), a character inspired by Pellerin’s own yarn-spinning grandmother. Of course, the central mystery is just one of many elements to be savoured in this uniquely entrancing and richly amusing film.