A Tale of Springtime 1990

Jeanne, Anne Teyssèdre, a young philosophy teacher, cannot go back to her Paris flat because her cousin Gaëlle, Sophie Robin, is having a rendezvous with her boyfriend Gildas, Marc Lelou, who is in the military. Even her own boyfriend’s apartment is left in a poor state, save for a vase with some fresh flowers, so she decides to head to a housewarming party instead.

At the party she meets Natacha, Florence Darel, a younger music student, and the two women quickly strike up a friendship. Natacha invites Jeanne to stay with her, offering the father’s bedroom since he’s usually at his young girlfriend’s place. The next morning, Igor, Hugues Quester, comes by to pick up a few clothes and is surprised to encounter Jeanne just after her shower.

After Igor leaves, the two new friends talk about a planned trip to Natacha’s family country house in Fontainebleau. Natacha, who dislikes her father’s girlfriend Ève, Eloïse Bennett, quietly engineers a scenario designed to bring Igor, Ève, and Jeanne together at the country house. Over dinner, Jeanne learns that Ève shares a philosophical background, which makes her feel even more left out in the conversation. Natacha’s anger rises and she insults Ève when she tries to engage her.

The tension culminates as Ève decides to leave the cottage abruptly. Jeanne offers to depart as well, but it becomes clear that Igor and Ève’s relationship was already strained, and Ève leaves, possibly for good.

The next day, Natacha’s Paris-based boyfriend, William, François Lamore, arrives and the two adults end up spending the day in a quiet, uneasy cordiality. With Natacha having arranged things behind the scenes, Jeanne and Igor navigate the awkwardness and briefly discuss the possibility of a relationship—Igor admitting that Ève was more of a fling than a lasting match. After a quick kiss, Jeanne decides that the family dynamic has gone too far and returns to Paris to pack her things. It’s becoming clear that Jeanne might end up in the same position as Ève if she stays.

When Natacha arrives at Jeanne’s apartment, she is clearly disappointed that things did not unfold as planned. Jeanne then returns to her own flat and finds fresh flowers waiting from Gaëlle. She goes to her boyfriend’s flat, perhaps to resume their relationship, and finds the vase of flowers wilted and dead. In the end, Jeanne places Gaëlle’s gifted flowers on the table.