"A fine bilingual cast, haunting period detail and a provocative approach to a twisting story carry the day." - Kate Taylor, Globe and Mail
"A richly imagined and superbly assembled period piece." - Boyd Van Hoeij, The Hollywood Reporter
"It's a rare beauty, this odd-duck of a period piece from the great French director François Ozon" - Peter Travers, Rolling Stone
In the aftermath of World War I, a young German woman mourning the death of her fiancé forms a bond with a mysterious Frenchman visiting her beloved’s grave. Telling a familiar tale of love, remembrance, grief, and mourning in new and surprising ways, Frantz is a brilliant addition to the filmography of François Ozon. The war has just ended and Anna (Paula Beer) is still living with Frantz’s parents, who are shattered over their son’s death. Meanwhile, the citizens of Anna’s small German town are just beginning to emerge from the shadow of the war. Spying a stranger laying a bouquet of roses on Frantz’s grave one day, the quietly grieving Anna is both surprised and intrigued. Hesitantly, the visitor reveals he is a French soldier, but with the horrors of the war still so raw in everyone’s minds, the small community makes it clear he’s not welcome among them. Adrien (Pierre Niney) soon reveals he knew Frantz prior to the war, as the two became fast friends over their shared love of art and music. Anna and Frantz’s parents eventually warm to the sensitive Frenchman, grateful for the chance to relive a connection to Frantz. But despite Adrien’s initial charms, his past slowly reveals itself to be more mysterious and murky than it seems.
Awards:
Won, Best Cinematography, César Awards, France, 2017
Nominated, Best Director, Best Film, Actor (Pierre Niney), Most Promising Actress (Paula Beer), Best Adapted Screenplay, Original Music, Sound, Editing, Costume Design, Production Design, César Awards, France, 2017
Won, Best Foreign Feature Film, Sedona International Film Festival, 2017
Won, Marcello Mastroianni Award for Best Young Actress (Paula Beer), Venice Film Festival, 2016
Nominated, Best Screenplay, Best Female Newcomer, Cinematography, Music, Lumiere Awards, France, 2017
Spotlight Selection, Sundance Film Festival, 2017
Best of Fest Selection, Palm Springs International Film Festival, 2017
This program is sponsored by Busch Systems, Cravings, Hugh Hardy RE/MAX Broker, Netgain, Pilatez.ca, Restorations by Rodgers/Renovations by Rodgers, Storage Mart, Venable Park Investment Council Inc.