Adapting Françoise Sagan’s classic French novel, Durga Chew-Bose gives us Cécile (Lily McInerney), a young lady summering by the sea with her permissive father Raymond (Claes Bang) and his girlfriend Elsa (Naïlia Harzoune). It’s a happy trio until Anne (Chloë Sevigny) arrives; soon Raymond’s erotic interest shifts to her. The betrayal upsets Cécile more than it does Elsa, and our young protagonist hatches a plot to coax her father away from his new lover…
Bonjour Tristesse is Chew-Bose’s directorial debut, though you sure wouldn’t guess it from the grace and aplomb she displays. She captures the hazy torpor of summer beautifully, and her feel for pacing fits perfectly with the material. This is a story of a gradual awakening—of small revelations and subtle shifts—and it gets exactly the nuance it needs from its director. Sensuous, literate, and executed with the utmost delicacy, this film marks the arrival of a major talent.
Presented by
Media Partner
Community Partner
Lily McInerny, Claes Bang, Chloë Sevigny, Naïlia Harzoune, Aliocha Schneider
Canada/Germany
2024
In English and French with English subtitles
At International Village
At Fifth Avenue
Book Tickets
Indigenous & Community Access
Indigenous Access Tickets Community Access Tickets Ticket Donation Requests
Credits & Director
Executive Producer
Denis Westhoff, Suzanne Court, Fabien Westerhoff, Emily Kulasa, Jesse Weening, Omar Chalabi
Producer
Katie Bird Nolan, Lindsay Tapscott, Christina Piovesan, Noah Segal
Screenwriter
Durga Chew-Bose
Cinematography
Maximilian Pittner
Editor
Amélie Labrèche
Production Design
François Renaud-Labarthe
Original Music
Lesley Barber
Durga Chew-Bose
Durga Chew-Bose was born in Montreal. She is the author of Too Much and Not the Mood, a book of essays, and has co-produced the films Shadowboxing (2010) and Mother’s Day (2011). Bonjour Tristesse (2024) is her debut feature.
Missing VIFF? Check out what's playing at the VIFF Centre
Two Pianos
Once promising concert pianist Mathias (François Civil) returns to his native Lyon after a long absence. He's here to pay homage to his mentor, Elena (Charlotte Rampling). But a chance encounter with an old flame sends him spiraling.
The Golden Spurtle
Each year the sleepy highland village of Carrbridge awakens with excitement as locals and competitors from around the globe vie for the honour of winning The Golden Spurtle in the World Porridge Making Championships.
The Kidannes Ethio-Jazz Ensemble + Broken Flowers Film Screening
The Kidannes Ethio-Jazz Ensemble will be performing a unique blend of traditional Ethiopian & Eritrean music, combined with a healthy dollop of Western Jazz, in advance of the Jim Jarmusch movie which popularized Ethiopian Jazz in the West.
Holy Days
After his mom passes, Brian (Elijah Tamati) is comforted by Sisters Agnes, Luke and Mary Clare (Judy Davis, Miriam Margolyes and Jacki Weaver, respectively). The quirky quartet hit the road to save their convent from being sold to a property developer.