AS SUMMER fades into autumn, Amelie is a brilliant ray of sunshine to stir the soul and melt the heart.

Jean-Pierre Jeunet's romantic fable is so dreamy, so effortlessly charming, that you'll find yourself hankering for a long weekend in belle Paris.

Traumatised by a most unorthodox childhood, Amelie (Audrey Tautou) retreats into her own private dreamworld in which the sun always shines on Paris and clouds resemble cute and cuddly animals.

She works in a caf in the Montmartre district and lives alone in a hotel run by Madeleine (Yolande Moreau).

Amelie wishes that everybody could be as happy as her, so she schemes to solve her friends' woes and bring her lovelorn friends together.

She initiates a tender romance between hypochondriac tobacconist Georgette (Isabelle Nanty) and caf customer Joseph (Dominique Pinon), who is obsessed with bubble wrap.

Next, she dishes out some long overdue justice to despotic grocer Collignon (Urbain Cancellier), who treats his poor assistant, Lucien (Jamel Debbouze), with nothing but disdain.

Caught up in her own selfless scheme, Amelie fails to notice the romantic overtures of fairground worker Nino (Mathieu Kassovitz).

Thankfully, her friends are on hand to orchestrate romantic trysts of their own.

Jeunet and long-time collaborator Marc Caro have been responsible for some of French cinema's most devilishly original films, including Delicatessen and The City Of Lost Children.

Working on his own, Jeunet creates the ultimate feel-good experience, every frame crammed with dazzling colour and laughter.

Tautou is mesmerising as the eponymous heroine, who sacrifices her own happiness for the sake of her friends and neighbours.

She wanders through the boulevards with a childlike wonder on her face, those large saucer-shaped eyes radiating unconditional love and sweetness.

The supporting cast is equally impressive, bringing to life a menagerie of eccentrics, loners and lovers desperate for affection.

Jokes come thick and fast, particularly in the opening 20 minutes, when you'll find yourself laughing until it hurts.

In this time of uncertainty and fear, Amelie is just the tonic to lift the nation's spirits. Cheers!