As first feature films by French Female Directors go this is right up there with La Buche, Il Est plus facile pour une chameau, Parlez-moi d'amour, Se Souvenirs des belles choses and Le Gout des autres and it may be no coincidence that Anne Le Ny acted in the last three and clearly kept her eyes and ears open. This is a very assured debut with traces of Brief Encounter and Rien a Faire and just as Noel Coward provided interesting and solid support for the protagonists of Brief Encounter so Le Ny surrounds her German teacher and graphic artist with the proprietress of a magazine-stand and her assistant and a sister and step-daughter for the male protagonist. Le Ny herself plays Nathalie, the caring sister of Betrand and throws in a lovely moment involving Nathalie's baby son and a second involving her older daughter that illustrate just how firm is her grasp of this ultimately bittersweet love story. Manu Devos and Vincent Lindon do everything asked of them and more and the whole thing has the feel of a labour of love from all concerned. Try not to miss it.
Review of Those Who Remain
