Life less ordinary

Sarah Watt reviews a selection of titles from the French Film Festival Aotearoa.

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Three Friends starts with an amusing Amélie-esque voiceover that suggests this film about love, of both the infatuated and unrequited kind, might be a clever pastiche by the very country which turned romance into a cultural stereotype.

But don't be fooled - for the narrator is Victor (Vincent Macaigne), a former high school teacher whose chagrin is palpable as he introduces us to the love of his life, Joan, whose cool distance suggests she may not share his impassioned feelings.

At the same time, Joan's best friend Alice (Call My Agent's Camille Cottin) isn't sure she's in love with her husband Victor, but she keeps making an effort because, “I have huge respect for adulterers, but it’s not for me,” while perky blonde Rebecca (Sara Forestier) is carrying on a carefree affair with a married man.

Instead of morphing into a ménage à trois, or the narrative contrivances of a predictable romcom involving several couples, Three Friends' fantastically sage script is notable for its truthful musings about what it takes to keep relationships going when lovers are out of step.

As the friends navigate various shifts in emotion and grapple with tragedy, the poignant story impresses with its sensitive depictions of relatable situations. The break-ups are heartbreaking and unhysterical, while new connections feel realistic in their tentative excitement.

Boasting great performances,