MQFF REVIEW: Cupcakes (2013, Dir. Eytan Fox)

Close to the finale of Cupcakes, Eytan Fox's garishly good-hearted rip into everyone's favourite pan-continental song competition, the Israeli director lays bare his inspiration in no uncertain terms. It's a brief shot on the streets of Paris, with one of the film's central characters (a control-freak baker from Tel Aviv) stepping out of an umbrella store named Geneviève.

The cinéaste in me should be galled by such an overt reference to Jacques Demy's exceptional The Umbrellas of Cherbourg in a lightweight confection about Eurovision but, truth be told, I love Eurovision with the passion of a thousand gold lamé pantsuits and Cupcakes is so utterly devoid of pretension that it's difficult not to get caught up in its infectious goodwill.

(I'm probably more galled by the word cinéaste.)

So, while Fox's film doesn't have the bittersweet sting of Demy's, it works its own magic with its bold colour scheme, its charismatic performances and its bubbling songs. There's not much to it, just a group of friends who inadvertently get selected to represent Israel in the UniverSong competition. Cue tacky musical hijinks.

Cupcakes sticks close to the predicted line but that doesn't detract too much from the fun. There are enough playful jibes at Eurovision's corniness and enough hot (hot, hot) men and women to keep the eyes and ears engaged. It's lighter fare than Fox usually turns out and certainly looks like its been put together on a slighter budget than last year's Yossi, but its a worthwhile escape and should have lovers of Eurovision tide over till May.

★★★☆

Trailer:

Cupcakes screened as part of the 2014 Melbourne Queer Film Festival.