Dir: Mikael Buch, France, 2011, 35mm, 88 mins, French and Finnish with English subtitles Censor's rating: M - Contains violence, offensive language and sex scenes Still to screen: 'Wellington Opening Night' 31 May 7:00pm at Paramount Theatre The Out Takes Film Festival got off to a light comedic start with the screening of the French movie Let My People Go! at the Rialto on Thursday night. It's always a refreshing change to have a gay-themed movie that isn't full of death and depression but despite this Let My People Go! felt too mild and timid a start to the 18th round of Out Takes. Starting in Finland we meet partners Ruben and Teemu. We only just get introduced to the characters when suddenly, through a rather contrived plot point involving a bag of money, the two separate with Ruben running off back to his family in France. It's here we meet his strict Jewish family on the eve of Passover and the film settles into a slow burn, an almost comedy of manners. His family are typically dysfunctional with a sister on the verge of divorce and a father harbouring a long held secret but one highlight is there is never an issue with Ruben's gayness. His family accept him for who he is, and as family secrets and unrest come to head, it is Ruben at the centre of the action. We can see the happy ending a mile off and there are no real shocks but is the acting is very good all round, especially from Nicolas Maury as Ruben, but because the film offers nothing particularly deep I didn't feel any real emotional connection with the characters. Overall a nice way to spend 88 minutes of your life. - reviewed by Alan Granville Alan Granville - 25th May 2012