The Nature of Love
The Nature of Love | |
---|---|
![]() Release poster | |
French | Simple comme Sylvain |
Directed by | Monia Chokri |
Written by | Monia Chokri |
Produced by | Nancy Grant Sylvain Corbeil |
Starring | Magalie Lépine-Blondeau Pierre-Yves Cardinal |
Cinematography | André Turpin |
Edited by | Pauline Gaillard |
Music by | Émile Sornin |
Production company | Metafilms |
Distributed by | MK2 Films |
Release date | |
Running time | 112 minutes[2] |
Country | Canada |
Language | French |
Box office | $2.4 million[3] |
The Nature of Love(French:Simple comme Sylvain) is a 2023 Canadian romantic comedy-drama film directed byMonia Chokri.[4]
The film had its world premiere in theUn Certain Regardsection at the2023 Cannes Film Festivalon 18 May 2023.[1][5]
Plot
[edit]University professor Sophia has a comfortable life and a stable but unexciting marriage to Xavier. That is upended when she meets and is attracted to Sylvain, a blue-collar construction contractor whom the couple hires to renovate their summer home.[6]
Cast
[edit]- Magalie Lépine-Blondeauas Sophie
- Pierre-Yves Cardinalas Sylvain
- Monia Chokrias Françoise
- Francis-William Rhéaume as Xavier
- Steve Laplanteas Philippe
- Marie-Ginette Guayas Sylvie
- Micheline Lanctôtas Madeleine
- Guillaume Laurin as Olivier
- Linda Sorginias Guylaine
- Mathieu Baron as Kevin
- Christine Beaulieuas Karine
- Lubna Playoust as Joséphine
- Guy Thauvetteas Pierre
- Karelle Tremblayas Camélia
Production
[edit]Production on the film was first announced in fall 2022.[7]
Release
[edit]The film premiered in theUn Certain Regardsection at the2023 Cannes Film Festivalon 18 May 2023.[1][4]
Critical response
[edit]Catherine Bray ofVarietypraised the film, writing that "The film is impeccably cast. As Sophia, Magalie Lépine Blondeau (whom Chokri first directed ten years ago in her hugely successful shortAn Extraordinary Person) is wonderful, gifted with great comic timing and a particular knack for telegraphing that sense of someone who knows they’re making a huge mistake, but are compelled to go ahead and make it anyway. That’s handy, since it is perhaps the character’s defining trait. But it’s hard to imagine Blondeau’s role working as well as it does without the right actor as Sylvain, the kind of guy whose compulsive sexual charm is enough, by itself, to swamp every other more cautious instinct. Luckily, Cardinal has form here, having previously sizzled inXavier Dolan’sTom at the Farm,as the burly agricultural man’s man to Dolan’s fashionable city boy. Call it screen presence, magnetism, charisma — Cardinal has it. "[8]
Savina Petkova ofCineuropawrote that "Even ifThe Nature of Lovecan’t shake off the pessimistic thought that all instances of a heterosexual, monogamous love life are doomed to repeat the same cycle of infatuation/marriage/depletion of desire, it offers a special, nuanced take on love and what love can be. It even suggests a canon of studies on romance – a topic equally neglected in philosophy and ethics – with quotes by the likes ofPlato,bell hooksandVladimir Jankélévitch,but without being didactic in any way. Overall, Chokri’s new film is as confident as its protagonist, a woman who knows how to articulate her desires, to surrender and to leave them behind, when it feels right.”[9]
Maxance Vincent ofInSession Filmwrote that the movie is "one of the funniest and most heartbreaking movies you’ll see all year, and it cements Chokri as one to watch as a daring auteur who never made the same film twice and will seemingly continue pushing the boundaries of what modern Québec cinema can – and should – be."[10]
Accolades
[edit]Award / Film Festival | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cannes Film Festival | May 26, 2023 | Un Certain Regard | Monia Chokri | Nominated | [4] |
Queer Palm | Nominated | [11] | |||
Whistler Film Festival | December 3, 2023 | Best Cinematography in aBorsos CompetitionFilm | André Turpin | Won | [12] |
Prix collégial du cinéma québécois | April 5, 2024 | Best Film | Monia Chokri | Nominated | [13] |
César Awards | 23 February 2024 | Best Foreign Film | The Nature of Love | Won | [14] |
Canadian Screen Awards | May 2024 | Best Lead Performance in a Comedy Film | Magalie Lépine-Blondeau | Nominated | [15] |
Best Original Screenplay | Monia Chokri | Nominated | |||
Best Cinematography | André Turpin | Nominated | |||
Best Editing | Pauline Gaillard | Nominated |
References
[edit]- ^abc"The Screenings Guide of the 76th Festival de Cannes"(PDF).festival-cannes.com.10 May 2023. p. 4.Archived(PDF)from the original on 11 May 2023.Retrieved14 May2023.
- ^"The Nature of Love(15) ".British Board of Film Classification.21 June 2024.Retrieved23 June2024.
- ^"The Nature of Love".Box Office Mojo.IMDb.RetrievedAugust 2,2024.
- ^abc"Simple comme Sylvain, de Monia Chokri, ira à Cannes".Ici Radio-Canada,April 13, 2023.
- ^"Monia Chokri's Cannes, London Title 'The Nature of Love' Snapped Up by Vertigo for U.K., Ireland (EXCLUSIVE)".Variety.
- ^Marc-André Lussier,"Monia Chokri de retour au Festival de Cannes".La Presse,April 13, 2023.
- ^Éric Lavallée,"An Affair to Remember: Magalie Lépine Blondeau Toplines Monia Chokri’s 'Simple Comme Sylvain'".Ion Cinema,October 7, 2022.
- ^Catherine Bray,"‘The Nature of Love’ Review: Monia Chokri’s Delightful New Film Asks What Happens If You Scratch the Seven-Year Itch".Variety,May 18, 2023.
- ^Savina Petkova,"Review: The Nature of Love".Cineuropa,May 22, 2023.
- ^Maxance Vincent,"Movie Review: The Nature of Love Sets Monia Chokri Apart".InSession Film,September 26, 2023.
- ^Florian Ques (May 4, 2023)."Festival de Cannes: voici les films en lice pour la Queer Palm 2023".Têtu(in French).RetrievedMay 16,2023.
- ^Taimur Sikander Mirza,"Atikamekw Suns wins best Canadian feature at WFF".Playback,December 5, 2023.
- ^Charles-Henri Ramond,"Les finalistes du 13e PCCQ".Films du Québec,January 11, 2024.
- ^Barat, Mathilde (23 February 2024)."César 2024:Anatomie d'une chutesacré meilleur film. Le palmarès complet de la 49ecérémonie ".Le Figaro(in French).Retrieved24 February2024.
- ^"BlackBerry Leads CSA Nominations".Northern Stars,March 6, 2024.