Bonjour Tristesse

At the height of summer, 18-year-old Cécile is languishing by the French seaside with her handsome father and his girlfriend, when the arrival of her late mother’s friend, Anne (Chloë Sevigny), changes everything. Amid the sun-drenched splendor of their surroundings, Cécile’s world is threatened and, desperate to regain control, she sets in motion a plan to drive Anne away with tragic consequences. An adaptation of Françoise Sagan’s unforgettable coming-of-age novel by the same title, Durga Chew-Bose’s Bonjour Tristesse masterfully captures the complexity of relationships between women and how they wield influence over one another’s fates.

Maximilian PIttner’s stunning sunlit cinematography makes Bonjour Tristesse‘s location (it was shot in Cassis) a vacation destination, especially if you can also rent that villa they are at. Lesley Barber’s lyrical score also helps the mood. – Deadline Hollywood

Chew-Bose does not rest on the ease of her scenery. There is a formal confidence, exciting from a first-time filmmaker, a deep understanding of cinema as a craft and all it can accomplish beyond the page. – Autostraddle