La Petite et le Vieux: Watch, Cast, Summary & More

There’s something quietly magical about the friendships that form across generations—those unlikely bonds between a child seeing the world for the first time and an elder who’s seen it too many times. That’s the heart of La Petite et le Vieux, a 2024 Quebec film that pairs a bold young girl named Jo with a gruff but secretly tender neighbor named Monsieur Roger. If you’ve been searching for where to watch it or want to know what makes it worth your evening, here’s everything you need.

Director: Patrice Sauvé · Stars: Juliette Bharucha, Gildor Roy · Release Year: 2024 · Origin: Quebec · Runtime: 104 minutes

The key details about La Petite et le Vieux are summarized in the table below.

Where was La petite et le vieux filmed?

Patrice Sauvé and his team went to considerable lengths to recreate 1980s Quebec authentically. Principal photography took place over 29 days in September and October 2023 across three Quebec locations: the Limoilou and Saint-Jean-Baptiste neighborhoods of Quebec City served as the primary settings, with additional shooting in Lévis and Tewksbury. One production day was even staged in Havana, Cuba during November 2023—a creative decision that adds visual texture to the story’s nostalgic world.

Filming locations in Quebec

The filmmakers chose Limoilou deliberately: the neighborhood’s architectural character made it ideal for recreating the working-class 1980s milieu of Marie-Renée Laval’s novel. Quebec City’s urban landscape provided the density and charm needed for Jo’s daily adventures with Monsieur Roger.

Production details

With an approximate budget of 5.6 million CAD, the production drew on Quebec’s established film infrastructure. Cinematography by François Gamache captured the period setting, while music by Viviane Audet, Robin-Joël Cool, and Alexis Martin provided an authentic 1980s Quebec soundtrack.

Where to watch La petite et le vieux?

Finding La Petite et le Vieux for streaming depends on where you are and what platforms you subscribe to. The film had a robust Canadian theatrical run via TVA Films, opened on 68 screens across Quebec on October 4, 2024, and earned over 1.5 million CAD at the Quebec box office—a strong result for a homegrown comedy-drama.

Streaming platforms

As of the latest checks, La Petite et le Vieux is available on Apple TV for streaming in Canada. It has not yet appeared on Netflix, though that could change as home video distribution expands. JustWatch shows no active streaming offers at time of writing for other major platforms.

Prime Video availability

Amazon Prime Video users should check regional availability regularly. The film may appear as Prime Video adds Canadian content, particularly given the box office success in Quebec.

Theater showings

Theatrical distribution ended its Quebec run in late 2024, with Blu-ray, DVD, and video-on-demand platforms becoming available afterward. Major Quebec theaters, including Théâtre de la Ville in Sherbrooke, hosted screenings during the theatrical window.

What is the film with Gildor Roy and a little girl?

La Petite et le Vieux centers on Jo (Hélène), a spirited young girl growing up in 1980s Limoilou, whose life changes when she befriends Monsieur Roger—a gruff, solitary elderly neighbor who initially pushes everyone away. Their unlikely friendship forms the emotional core of the story.

Plot overview

Based on Marie-Renée Lavoie’s bestselling 2010 novel, the film traces Jo’s summers spent with Monsieur Roger, who reluctantly opens up to the persistent child. The story explores themes of loneliness, friendship across generations, and the small moments that shape childhood memory. Sébastien Girard adapted the screenplay, preserving the book’s intimate storytelling while adding visual richness to the 1980s Quebec setting.

Main characters

Juliette Bharucha makes her feature film debut as Jo/Hélène, delivering what critics have called a “touching” and “luminous” performance. Opposite her, veteran Quebec actor Gildor Roy plays Monsieur Roger with the gruff charm that has made him a regional favorite. Mediafilm praised their pairing as “un duo des plus attachants” (a most endearing duo).

Who is Juliette Bharucha?

Juliette Bharucha is a young Quebec actress who makes her feature film debut in La Petite et le Vieux, playing the lead role of Jo (Hélène). Her performance anchored the film’s emotional success, earning praise from Canadian critics for capturing Jo’s boldness and vulnerability.

Role in the film

As Jo, Juliette Bharucha carries the story’s emotional weight in nearly every scene. The character is imaginative, stubborn, and determined—the kind of child who refuses to leave an old man alone when she senses he’s lonely beneath the gruff exterior. Juliette’s work made audiences believe in this friendship from the first frame.

Background

Juliette Bharucha is a newcomer to feature filmmaking, with La Petite et le Vieux marking her first major screen role. The film’s casting director found her during a regional talent search, and her chemistry with Gildor Roy reportedly convinced the production team she was right for the part.

What is the summary of La petite et le vieux?

La Petite et le Vieux is a Quebec comedy-drama that adapts Marie-Renée Lavoie’s beloved 2010 novel, following young Jo as she spends her summers befriending the grumpy elderly neighbor everyone avoids. What begins as an annoyance for Monsieur Roger becomes one of the most meaningful relationships of both their lives.

Book adaptation

The original novel was a Quebec bestseller and finalist for the Grand Prix du public Archambault and Prix France-Québec. Director Patrice Sauvé worked closely with the source material, and the film’s screenplay expands the book’s intimate scenes into a full feature while preserving the original’s warmth and specificity of place. Cinematographer François Gamache recreated the visual texture of 1980s Quebec with careful period detail.

Key themes

At its core, the film is about the loneliness that can isolate anyone—young or old—and how a stubborn child can crack open a closed heart. It also explores memory and nostalgia, showing how the relationships we form as children shape who we become. CTVM.info described the film as “lumineux, humaniste et touchant” (bright, humanist, and touching).

The implication: Juliette Bharucha’s debut proves that newcomer talent can carry a film when paired with seasoned performers like Gildor Roy.

Une vieille voisine bourru et une petite fille de Limoilou. L’épatant Gildor Roy et la nouvelle venue Juliette Bharucha forment un duo des plus attachants.

— Mediafilm (Film review)

Lumineux, humaniste et touchant, le film La Petite et le Vieux est attendu sur les écrans.

— CTVM.info (Film publication)