Director: Anna Cazenave Cambet

Stars: Vicky Krieps, Antoine Reinartz, Monia Chokri, Viggo Ferreira-Redier, Féodor Atkine

A typically luminous performance from Vicky Krieps is the best reason to see this languid French drama from French writer-director Anna Cazenave Cambet, based on the novel by Constance Debré. Clémence (Krieps), a lawyer who is contemplating switching to full-time writing, has been separated some years from her husband Laurent (Reinartz). They have joint custody of their young son Paul (Ferreira-Redier). The arrangement evidently works quite well until Clémence reveals to Laurent that she has started dating women. A custody war ensues in which Laurent makes poisonous accusations against Clémence, meaning she is unable to see her son for long stretches of time, or has to meet him in a room supervised by social workers. While agonising over her child, the hitherto promiscuous Clémence meets journalist Sarah (Chokri) and contemplates settling down. The pacing is stately and the atmosphere is often dour – this is a film where a courting couple go and see Bergman’s ‘Cries and Whispers’ on an early date – although scenes between Clémence and her ageing father bring some much-needed warmth, and cinematographer Kristy Baboul’s rendering of Paris is suitably muted and moody.  Cambet leaves enough narrative space open for us to make up our own minds as to Clémence’s life choices, even if a writerly voiceover feels surplus to requirements.

David Willoughby

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