The melancholy of coming of age is captured in the whimsically dark “Bonjour Tristesse,” based on Françoise Sagan’s 1954 novella whose title translates to “Hello, Sadness.”
“Palm Trees and Power Lines” standout star Lily McInerny plays 18-year-old Cécile who is vacationing with her father Raymond (Claes Bang) and his lover Elsa (Naïlia Harzoune). However, their summer takes a twisted turn when Anne (Chloë Sevigny), a friend of Cécile’s late mother, drives down from Paris to pay the family a visit.
As the synopsis teases, “Cécile’s world is threatened and, desperate to regain control, she sets in motion a plan to drive Anne away with tragic consequences. The three embark on an incredible journey of deceit, lust, compassion, and unconditional love against the backdrop of an unforgettable French summer.” Aliocha Schneider also stars.
“Bonjour Tristesse” is writer/director Durga Chew-Bose’s directorial debut; the film premiered at 2024 TIFF.
The IndieWire review compared the cold lushness of “Bonjour Tristesse” to a “memory,” with Kate Erbland writing, “It’s as if we’re trapped in a photo album of whatever Cécile happens to remember from that summer, a mish-mash of delightfully hazy moments and stilted, mannered lines. [Director] Chew-Bose leans heavily on not just the look of this season, all gorgeous light and perfect framing, but also its sounds. Butter scraping a piece of toast. A knife cutting cleanly through an apple. A smacking kiss. It doesn’t feel quite real, nor does it feel connected on a scene by scene basis. It’s whatever has drifted into Cécile’s mind, which we come to suspect is quite empty.”
The review continues, “Chew-Bose’s power lies in her patience, as her script isn’t at all afraid to lull her audience into a state of not quite boredom, but at least ennui (the French! again!) before oh-so-gently steering us into a much more shocking, and ultimately satisfying space. While much of the film seems to be filtered through the haze of memory (and, later, regret), the emotions at its heart slowly click into place over the course of the film. The lessons, too.”
The film is produced by Babe Nation Films’ Lindsay Tapscott and Katie Bird Nolan, and Elevation Pictures.
“Bonjour Tristesse” premieres May 2 in select theaters from Greenwich Entertainment. Check out the trailer below.
