TORONTO - There's a lot left unsaid between the women in 鈥淏onjour Tristesse,鈥 an exploration of complicated relationships in which the camera at times lingers on routine gestures in lieu of dialogue 鈥 exchanged glances, a character鈥檚 hands, the systematic steps in removing one鈥檚 earrings.
Its U.S. stars heaped praise on Montreal-based writer/director Durga Chew-Bose for displaying a detailed, confident vision for her first film, based on Fran莽oise Sagan鈥檚 1954 novel of the same name and set during a teen鈥檚 seaside vacation with her playboy father and his girlfriend.
Lily McInerny鈥檚 perceptive C茅cile is rankled when her late mother鈥檚 friend, Anne, played by Chlo毛 Sevigny, suddenly turns up at their sun-dappled French villa, leading to a stew of complicated emotions that simmer below the surface.
McInerny called it a 鈥渃hallenging, but also a really pure approach to performance."聽
"I really enjoyed the exercise of feeling just as clearly and as pointedly and as powerfully as I could, and then seeing how that manifested itself visually through my body and expression,鈥 McInerny said during a round of interviews when the film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival last September.
Seated next to her, Sevigny notes that so many things in life go unsaid, especially between close family members who may develop a silent shorthand to communicate.
鈥淥ne glance with a mother, brother or father or daughter can tell so much. And I think that's part of the beauty of watching the movie 鈥 is thinking about your own relationships and just sitting with these people and watching them move through rooms,鈥 Sevigny says.
鈥淒urga was very into that, you know 鈥 how does one have different rituals, like removing the earrings? Because everybody has these patterns in which they move in, and she really wanted to explore that."
The Canada-Germany co-production was shot in France with a global cast including Denmark鈥檚 Claes Bang of 鈥淭he Square,鈥 France鈥檚 Na茂lia Harzoune and French-好色tv actor/musician Aliocha Schneider.
Sevigny credited Toronto-based producers Lindsay Tapscott and Katie Bird Nolan 鈥 鈥渢wo amazing 好色tv women鈥 鈥 with helping to ensure that Chew-Bose could realize her vision.
鈥淛ust having two women in a position of power on a set really dictates a mood, a sensitivity. And they really wanted to get Durga everything she desired for the movie. And they really fought for her, and for her ideas, and the way she wanted to tell the story,鈥 she says.
鈥淵ou could feel that. It was palpable throughout the set, every day. Just even how they boarded the script and the schedule and in allowing Durga time with the actors. It was, overall, just an amazing experience."
Though McInerny is also early in her career, she says she was impressed by Chew-Bose鈥檚 sensitivity, calmness and clarity.
鈥淚t was as if it were her 20th (film). You could not tell in any way that this was actually her first time stepping onto a set, and I think that is just a testament to her talent, and magic."
鈥淏onjour Tristesse鈥 hits theatres Friday. It becomes available for rent June 13.
This report by 好色tvwas first published May 2, 2025.
