Valentine’s Day screening of French rom-com sure to hit the heart strings

Franck Dubosc and Karin Viard star as Alain and Diane, a married couple who’s latest hilarious adventures stem from empty-nest syndrome.

The Stratford Film Festival (SFF) returns with monthly screenings beginning Feb. 14 with the French film Nouveau Départ (New Beginnings). Directed by Phillipe Lefebvre, the film stars Franck Dubosc and Karin Viard as a married couple facing a stale future now that they are empty nesters.

“When you think of love stories, they’re usually 20-somethings or 30-somethings, but this is a story about a couple who have been married 30 years and they’re going through empty-nest syndrome. Their youngest is leaving and going off on a journey and they find themselves looking at one another and wondering if this is all there is,” said Megan Smith-Harris, festival director.

In the script, written by Phillipe Lefebvre and Maria Pourchet, they didn’t want to follow the typical trope where the husband has a mid-life crisis and chases after younger women. Instead, it is the wife who needs to be relevant again leading to comedic choices and heartfelt circumstances.

The film was inspired by an Argentinian film by Juan Vera released in France and Lefebvre loved the subject matter of empty-nesters but wanted to put his own spin on it and added comedy to it. The script is co-written by Pourchet, a novelist who has published seven books of which one has been short-listed for many awards. They pulled together to bring their inspiration and life experiences into this romantic comedy that is as relatable as it is entertaining.

“Interestingly enough, Karin Viard who plays wife Diane, is a longtime friend of director Phillipe. One day she walked into a café and he was there with Maria working on the script and she said, ‘What are you doing?’ and he said, ‘I’m writing something for you!’ and they laughed. Then, a year later he sent her the script and she immediately connected with the part, finding the story sharp, funny and full of flavour without shortcuts or clichés,” said Smith-Harris.

Expect the film to be well-written and believably acted by the cast with a familiarity of each other before even beginning. Dubosc and Viard had worked in a regional theatre troupe together after graduating from theatre school. Being reunited in this film felt to them like coming home for them.

“When I saw the film I found it delightful, because it’s grounded in reality. It’s not all pratfalls and comedy schtick. The comedy is very real and it comes from our own insecurities, our own desires, our fantasies and curiosity,” Smith-Harris said. “It’s not a boring couple married for 30 years, it’s sexy, it’s fun. It’s all about how staying in a long-term marriage is hard and it takes work and commitment and reconnect.”

This screening will appeal to anyone who loves French films and the setting of Paris in which it was filmed. It will appeal to anyone that can relate to a long-term relationship gone stale.

“You don’t have to be married 30 years to identify with this couple. Anybody who’s been in a long-term relationship goes through stuff like this and jealousy and wondering if your partner is faithful or is there something better out there. That’s the other message of this film, which is the grass isn’t always greener on the other side,” said Smith-Harris.

The audience may also note a better movie going experience now that a new sound system has been installed in the Stratford City Hall auditorium.

“We’re incredibly grateful to the City of Stratford for recognizing the importance of investing in a high-quality sound system,” says Smith-Harris. “It’s a game-changer for film screenings and ensures our audiences experience these films exactly as they were meant to be seen and heard.”

For more information and to learn about upcoming screenings, visit www.stratfordfilmfestival.com where tickets are also available. Screenings are at the city hall auditorium at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m., Feb. 14. Passes for the 2026 season are also now on sale.