THE STORY – Born into a modest family, Hélène left the Vosges a long time ago. Today, a sudden burnout forces her to leave Paris and return to the place where she grew up. One evening, in the parking lot of a franchised restaurant, she spots Christophe Marchal, the charismatic field hockey prodigy from her high school days. An unexpected love affair begins between these two people, who are now at odds with each other. In their embrace, two Frenchmen, two worlds that are now strangers, dream of loving each other. Will this idyll, this island, be possible for them?
THE CAST – Mélanie Thierry, Bastien Bouillon & Jacques Gamblin
THE TEAM – Alex Lutz (Director/Writer), Amélia Guyader & Hadrien Bichet (Writers)
THE RUNNING TIME – 112 Minutes
“Connemara “is a quiet, melancholic meditation on home, memory, and the subtle forces that shape our lives. Based on the novel by Nicolas Mathieu, the film tells the story of the reunion between two former school friends, Hélène (Mélanie Thierry) and Christophe (Bastien Bouillon), who meet again in the middle of their lives, not through fate or romantic longing, but through the invisible threads of their origins and their past. The setting is the misty hills of the French Vosges, a region that feels both alluring and confining.
Hélène, a successful professional suffering from burnout in Paris, returns exhausted to her hometown, accompanied by her family. She seeks stability, peace, and a new beginning, yet the shadow of the past weighs heavily on her. Christophe, on the other hand, has never left the place. The former hockey star still lives in the province, trapped in a life that never grew beyond youth. His small apartment, cluttered with remnants of a forsaken youth, does not evoke nostalgia but instead stands as evidence of missed opportunities and a firm resolve not to be otherwise.
The film’s central theme is the contrast between leaving and staying, between the desire for change and the power of rootedness. Director Alex Lutz manages to portray this social divide with great sensitivity and without moralizing judgment. Christophe is not shown as a failure or victim but as someone who consciously chooses to stay, seeking and finding a different form of happiness and stability. In a society dreaming of upward mobility and escape, staying is celebrated as a legitimate choice.
Mélanie Thierry and Bastien Bouillon form a sensitive duo, distinguished by their natural and restrained chemistry. Their characters approach each other cautiously, almost hesitantly, as if both are unsure whether this reunion is meant to be a closure of the past or an opportunity for the future. Scenes like the wedding hall celebration, where a bridal couple game grotesquely spirals into something oppressive, leave a lasting impression, a moment that sears itself into memory with the intensity of a horror film peak.
Yet, “Connemara “does not always feel entirely cohesive. The pacing fluctuates between sluggish slowness and sudden jumps that disrupt the narrative flow. Some plotlines, such as the advancing dementia of Christophe’s father or the estrangement from his son, are only superficially touched upon and remain fragmentary. This gives the impression that important emotional conflicts and social tensions are not fully explored. The editing, which approaches a poetic, almost Malickian rhythm, also sometimes leads to uneven pacing. Overlapping voices and flashbacks create a particular atmosphere of inner turmoil but, at the same time, make it harder to fully engage emotionally with the characters. Some stylistic choices, like exaggerated slow-motion sequences and monotonous monologues, feel forced, pushing the film toward artificiality rather than authenticity. On the positive side, the film sensitively addresses the often neglected theme of social disparity in the French provinces. The motif of class differences is subtly woven in and never staged in a blatant way. It is precisely this uncertainty and the question of whether love can overcome the walls of origin that give Connemara its tragic depth.
“Connemara “is an ambivalent film that moves with its gentle, melancholic tone and sensitive portrayal of social contrasts yet struggles with narrative weaknesses. It is worth watching for lovers of quiet, contemplative films with strong actors, but those expecting a tightly structured story may be disappointed. It is an honest, though incomplete, reflection on origin, love, and the life between staying and leaving.
