À Nos Amours

À Nos Amours

Company type	Film
Industry	Film industry
Founded	1983
Founder	Maurice Pialat, Arlette Langmann
Headquarters	Paris , France
Area served	France
Key people	Maurice Pialat (director, co-writer), Arlette Langmann (co-writer)
Products	Film
Parent	Gaumont Film Company, France 3 Cinéma

À Nos Amours (, To Our Loves) is a 1983 French coming-of-age drama helmed by director Maurice Pialat, who co-wrote the screenplay with Arlette Langmann. Featuring performances by Sandrine Bonnaire, Dominique Besnehard, among others, the narrative centers on 16-year-old Suzanne (Bonnaire) as she experiences her sexual awakening against the backdrop of a turbulent family environment. The film was honored with the César Award for Best Film in 1984.

Plot

Suzanne, a teenager from Paris, resides with her parents who run a fur business and her brother Robert, a writer. While attending summer camp, she encounters an American boy and loses her virginity, which leads to feelings of guilt and the end of her relationship with her boyfriend Luc. Upon returning home, Suzanne faces suspicion and aggression from her father after going on a double date; he later discloses his intention to leave the family after meeting another woman.

As their mother’s mental state deteriorates, Robert takes on the role of caretaker for the family, while their mother harshly criticizes Suzanne’s defiant attitude. Tensions rise when Suzanne confronts her mother over letters from her lover Bernard that were confiscated, resulting in physical altercations involving both her mother and brother. Choosing to escape the turmoil, Suzanne opts to attend boarding school, expressing that she finds joy only in relationships with men.

Suzanne embarks on a committed relationship with Jean-Pierre and becomes engaged despite Robert's concerns about her history of casual relationships. Luc reenters her life still harboring feelings for her, but Suzanne remains devoted to Jean-Pierre due to the stability he represents.

Six months after their wedding, during a dinner party, Suzanne’s father unexpectedly arrives to sell the family apartment, stirring tension by revealing Suzanne’s visits to him. This provokes an angry reaction from her mother who forces him out.

Eventually, after ending things with Jean-Pierre, Suzanne leaves for San Diego on her honeymoon with Michel. At the airport, her father advises that while she seeks love, she struggles to genuinely love others and encourages her to remain abroad before they part ways.

Production

The project began as Arlette Langmann’s script titled Les filles du faubourg, written in the 1970s and set during the 1960s. Initially envisioned as a three- to four-hour film, it was presented to the National Center of Cinematography and Gaumont Film Company. Meanwhile, Pialat pursued financing while his other film Les Meurtrières faced delays.

Originally featuring characters of Polish Jewish descent, Pialat reduced this aspect to brief mentions. Due to budget limitations, he abandoned the period drama concept and updated the setting to contemporary times while preserving some artistic elements and deliberately avoiding political or contraception-related themes.

In the story, Bonnaire’s character Suzanne loses her virginity to an American portrayed by Tom Stevens. Bonnaire introduced Stevens to Pialat after meeting him during a trip in England; Bonnaire and Stevens later became engaged for two years.

Reception

Jason Bailey of The New York Times characterized the film as "challenging" with a "freewheeling, languorous vibe." Dave Kehr described it as "a particularly destabilizing example" of cinematic immediacy. Ranked 38th in Time Out’’’s 100 Best French Films list, it was lauded for its poignant depiction of the father-daughter dynamic and its exploration of happiness as fleeting and sorrow as enduring. Critic Richard Brody praised Bonnaire’s performance as an "explosive début."

Awards

In 1983, the film was honored with the Louis Delluc Prize for Best Film, followed by winning the César Award for Best Film in 1984. That same year, Bonnaire earned the César Award for Most Promising Actress. Additionally, the film was showcased at the 34th Berlin International Film Festival.

External links

• À nos amours: The Ties That Wound – analysis by Molly Haskell featured on The Criterion Collection