What Is Mars and April About?
The premise of Mars and April in 267 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
In a near‑future where humanity steadies itself for the first crewed mission to Mars, the sky hums with scientific optimism and a quiet, philosophical yearning. Engineers, astronomers, and dreamers debate the physics of relativistic travel, while a subtle undercurrent of personal longing weaves through the preparation. The film’s tone balances the sleek cold of space‑age ambition with a warm, almost tactile intimacy, inviting viewers to feel both the enormity of the cosmos and the fragile pulse of everyday desire.
Jacob Obus is a 75‑year‑old jazz virtuoso whose fame rests on instruments unlike any other—each one fashioned after the contours of a woman’s body and played without ever speaking to the models that inspire them. His performances become a ritual of touch and sound, a blend of woodwind, string, and imagination that conjures a new music never before heard. In the company of his younger collaborator, Arthur, the visionary artist who designs these singular creations, Jacob navigates a world of reverence and isolation, his art both a shield and a bridge to something deeper.
Enter Avril, a young photographer whose presence promises to shift the quiet equilibrium of Jacob’s life. Her camera captures the unseen angles of his performances, and her curiosity draws both men into a delicate, unspoken tension. Overseeing this dance of affection and inquiry is Eugène Spaak, a celebrated inventor and cosmologist whose groundbreaking theory links humanity’s drive to explore Mars with the primal forces of love and music. His counsel nudges Jacob toward a broader contemplation of purpose, hinting that the quest for distant worlds may echo the inner journeys we each must undertake.
What Happens in Mars and April?
The complete story of Mars and April, from the first scene to the last, in 668 words (about 3 minutes). Spoilers throughout. Names in the text link to 4 cast member pages.
Spoilers ahead
Jacob Obus is a 75-year-old jazz musician whose fame is matched only by the singularity of his instruments. Each instrument is carved in the image of a woman’s body and designed to be played in a way that is more intimate than conventional performance. He speaks to no model, never breaks the emotional distance, and instead channels his music into a ritual of breath, touch, and careful, almost reverent engagement with the bodies that shape his sound. The sounds he conjures are unlike anything the world has heard, and yet the spectacle he creates on stage is hollow without a single spoken word. That quiet is tested when a new presence enters his orbit.
Avril will not be turned away. She approaches Obus with a steadiness that promises contact, and she intends to experience him fully—inside and out. In a reversal of power, she becomes the active force on the table: the artist who set the stage, danсing between photographer and subject, stripping away the mystique that has kept Obus isolated for so long. In his moment of exposure, he finally confesses that the love he performs on stage is a ruse, a performance that has kept him apart from real intimacy because he has never truly connected with a woman. The revelation shakes him, but Avril is moved rather than repelled, and a fragile bond begins to form between them. Complicating matters, Avril is also having an affair with Obus’s instrument concept artist, Arthur, a younger man who challenges the drag of risk and status in their lives and pushes back against a world that might demand a solitary devotion to art over human love.
Meanwhile, the story threads into a broader orbit. We glimpse conversations with the world’s first Marsonaute crew—travelers who push toward a neighboring planet at relativistic speeds, and who are shown live as they negotiate time dilation that should bend the rules of experience. The mathematics of time becomes a visual chorus, a chorus that longs to reconcile human feeling with physics. Back on Earth, Eugène Spaak—Arthur’s father and longtime friend of Jacob—advances his own theories about Mars, building new instruments in a makeshift laboratory and insisting that music, women, and the mysteries of the universe are inextricably linked.
As love slowly takes root, the plot’s gravity shifts: Avril teleports toward Mars to become the planet’s first woman Marsonaute. A capsule at last provides the possibility of her voyage, a moment that deepens Obus’s longing and forces a reckoning with loss. He receives the instrument modeled after Avril, yet discovers that it cannot be played alone. What he needs is Arthur’s partnership, a shared embrace that would allow two lovers to reach the same woman without owning her. Together, their collaboration becomes the hinge of the story—music as trust, desire as a bridge, and art as a shared instrument rather than a monopoly.
The journey culminates in a liminal space—inside one of the instruments, or perhaps inside the Red Planet itself—where Obus must decide whether to trust in love and in the bond of Avril and Arthur to counter loneliness. The finale lingers on whether what has unfolded is a death poem or a love song played by the whole band, but the emotional logic remains clear: the tale is a meditation on sacrifice for love, a bittersweet alchemy that refuses easy redemption.
Viewed against its modest production scale, the film Mars et Avril shines with a tangible ingenuity. The visuals were crafted on limited resources, with a dedicated crew that often worked at volunteer levels, and the appearance of Robert Lepage in a starring role elevates the project in a way that critics and audiences alike have found astonishing. Director Martin Villeneuve’s remarkable achievement has inspired broader conversations, including a TED talk titled Martin Villeneuve: How I made an impossible film (2013), which foregrounds the audacity and craft behind the work. The film ultimately remains a poignant, almost operatic meditation on love, invention, and the loneliness that music and fame can mask.
Mars and April Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
12 key events in the order they happen, from “Obus's signature stage performance with living instruments” to “Epilogue: the legacy of Mars et Avril”. 12 events name a place, across 12 locations.
- 1
Obus's signature stage performance with living instruments
Jacob Obus, a 75-year-old jazz icon, performs on stage using instruments modeled after women's bodies. He communicates through gesture and sound, never addressing the models who inspire his art. The act is wondrous and alien, reinforcing his isolation from the world he mesmerizes.
Where:Stage
- 2
Avril enters as photographer and challenger
Avril arrives as a photographer who will not be sidelined. She aims to experience Obus from inside and out, challenging the power dynamic between artist and subject. Her presence signals the beginning of a personal and artistic collision.
Where:Studio/Backstage
- 3
Confession of love and loneliness
During a modeling session, Obus is exposed physically and emotionally. He confesses that the love he makes on stage is a ruse and that he has never truly been with a woman. This revelation begins to bridge the vast loneliness surrounding him.
Where:Studio
- 4
Love blossoms amid vulnerability
Avril is moved by his honesty, and the two begin a fragile, transformative bond. Their collaboration shifts from performance to shared longing, blending music and photography into something intimate. The relationship unsettles those around them.
Where:Studio/Stage area
- 5
Arthur enters: rival and ally
Arthur, the instrument designer and a younger man, becomes Avril's lover as well as her ally in the struggle. He fights for Avril, challenging Obus and disparaging his employer and friend at every turn. His presence complicates the dynamic between art, love, and power.
Where:Studio/Workshop
- 6
Marsonauts appear: time-dilation dialogue
Across the film, the world’s first Marsonautes travel toward a neighboring planet, and their journey becomes a live discussion about time dilation. Viewers hear their on-camera explanations of relativistic effects as they near Mars. The interplay of space romance and music adds a cosmic layer to the story.
Where:Broadcast/Space
- 7
Spaak's laboratory and Mars theory
Eugène Spaak, Arthur’s father and Obus’s friend, theorizes about Mars and the fabric of music. In his improvised laboratory, he designs new instruments inspired by cosmic ideas. His work links art, science, and the mysteries of the universe.
Where:Laboratory
- 8
Avril's leap: Mars voyage begins
Avril teleports to Mars to become the first woman Marsonaute, a milestone achieved only after a capsule is placed on the far side. Her journey marks a turning point in Obus's search for connection and foreshadows a fusion of love and exploration. The distance between Earth and Mars becomes a personal stage.
Where:Mars
- 9
Obus realizes collaboration is essential
Back on Earth, Obus discovers that he cannot play the instrument alone. He needs Arthur to join him to perform and to love Avril together. The plan is a fragile, hopeful partnership rather than possession.
Where:Studio/Stage
- 10
The instrument journey: inside art and cosmos
The narrative culminates as Obus's journey moves inside one of the instruments (or into the Red Planet itself). The boundary between art and cosmos dissolves as he chooses to trust his love for Avril and Arthur to overcome loneliness. The moment blends performance with revelation.
Where:Inside instrument/Planet
- 11
Climax: sacrifice and unity
In the finale, Obus confronts the demon of loneliness with a costly sacrifice. The music becomes both a death poem and a love song, implying noble surrender for the sake of Avril and Arthur. The ending emphasizes tragedy tempered by redemption through love.
Where:Mars/Instrument
- 12
Epilogue: the legacy of Mars et Avril
The film leaves a lingering question of whether the experiences were real or a dream, but its message remains: love, sacrifice, and the power of art to bridge distances define Mars et Avril.
Where:Earth/Mars
Who Are the Main Characters in Mars and April?
9 characters, among them Jacob Obus, Avril (Caroline Dhavernas) and Arthur (Paul Ahmarani): who each one is and the part they play in the story. 8 of them link to the actor’s page.
- JO
Jacob Obus
A 75-year-old jazz legend whose instruments are sculpted to resemble women's bodies. He speaks rarely, and his art is a quiet form of intimacy that keeps others at a distance. His vulnerability surfaces when Avril enters his life and his isolation is forced into the open as he confronts the limits of love and presence.
- 🎷 Jazz
- 💔 Loneliness
- 🎨 Art
-
Avril (Caroline Dhavernas)
Played by Caroline Dhavernas
A photographer who challenges Obus's detachment and becomes the catalyst for a transformative romance. She asserts agency, even as she navigates a complex love triangle with Obus and Arthur. Her encounter with the instruments and the Mars mission pushes her to take bold, boundary-crossing steps.
- 📷 Photography
- ❤️ Love
- 🧭 Liberation
-
Arthur (Paul Ahmarani)
Played by Paul Ahmarani
A younger instrument concept artist who fights for Avril and questions the authority of his employer. His presence adds tension to the love triangle and his creative talent helps shape Obus's instruments. He embodies desire, loyalty, and the drive to secure his place in Avril's life.
- 🎨 Art
- 🧪 Science
- 💘 Love
-
Eugène Spaak (Robert Lepage)
Played by Robert Lepage
Obus's friend and Arthur's father, a keen theorist about Mars who builds instruments in a makeshift lab. He posits that music, women, and cosmic mysteries are tightly linked, guiding the story's scientific curiosity and poetic imagination.
- 🧪 Science
- 🧭 Space
- 🎭 Artist
- MN
Marsonaute no. 1 (Emanuel Hoss-Desmarais)
Played by Emanuel Hoss-Desmarais
One of the Mars-traveling crew members; their mission explores relativistic travel and the perception of time. The live dialogue with Earth demonstrates the tension between training and lived experience.
- 🚀 Space
- 🕰️ Time
- 🌌 Exploration
- MN
Marsonaute no. 2 (Pierre Leblanc)
Played by Pierre Leblanc
A second crew member aboard the Mars mission who offers perspectives on the experiment's demands and the human stakes of space exploration. The crew's dynamics reveal the personal costs of long-distance discovery.
- 🚀 Space
- 🕰️ Time
- 🌌 Exploration
- MN
Marsonaute no. 3 (Richard Robitaille)
Played by Richard Robitaille
The third member of the Mars team whose viewpoints contribute to the ensemble's understanding of relativistic time and the mission's philosophical implications.
- 🚀 Space
- 🕰️ Time
- 🌌 Exploration
- P(
Pneumatologue (Jean Marchand)
Played by Jean Marchand
A professional involved in the Pneumatologue's research; a figure representing the scientific lens through which the Mars mission and instrument fabrication are interpreted.
- 🔬 Science
- 🧩 Innovation
- A(
Arlequin (Gabriel Gascon)
Played by Gabriel Gascon
A performer or figure within the instrument world; his presence adds theatrical symbolism to the evolving relationship between Obus and his art, blurring lines between character and construct.
- 🎭 Theater
- 🌀 Symbolism
Where and When Is Mars and April Set?
Mars and April is set in Earth, Mars, Stage and Spaak's Laboratory (Near future). Here is why the time and place matter to the story.
When
Near future
Set in a near-future era when interplanetary travel to Mars is feasible and time dilation is part of space missions. Relativistic travel and live updates from Marsonaute teams blur the line between objective science and subjective experience. Across Earth and Mars, relationships are tested by distance and the possibility of eternal devotion.
Where
Earth, Mars, Stage, Spaak's Laboratory
Earth is the urban, musical home of the world-famous 75-year-old jazz musician Obus, a place where fame amplifies his loneliness. The live stage and his private workshop blend performance with intimate, symbolic interactions with instrument models. Mars represents the frontier of space exploration where time dilation complicates relationships as Marsonaute missions unfold in real-time. Intersecting spaces like the stage and Spaak's laboratory anchor a story that fuses art, science, and love.
- 🌍 Earth
- 🚀 Space travel
- 🎭 Stage
- 🧪 Laboratory
What Are the Themes of Mars and April?
3 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Love vs Loneliness, Art and Identity and Time and Connection.
-
01
Love vs Loneliness
The romance between Obus and Avril tests whether love can overcome a lifetime of isolation. Artfully deployed instruments become both affection and barrier, echoing Obus's tendency to keep others at arm's length. Avril's intervention disrupts the pattern, revealing vulnerability and a desire for shared intimacy. The theme culminates in sacrifice and a redefinition of connection beyond possession.
-
02
Art and Identity
The instruments modeled after women's bodies blur the line between art and object, raising questions about desire, creation, and ownership. Spaak's workshop and Obus's stage enact a dialogue where music, sculpture, and performance fuse into a single identity. Avril's photography reframes the subject, challenging the artist's control over representation. The narrative treats art as a force that wounds, heals, and binds people together.
-
03
Time and Connection
Time dilation and live communication with Marsonaute crews complicate how characters experience time and love. The narrative juxtaposes instantaneous messages with the slow passage of personal aging, creating a bittersweet tension. The pursuit of Mars becomes a metaphor for navigating distance and longing. Ultimately, time is reframed as a shared, negotiable medium for love.
What Kind of Film Is Mars and April?
Melancholic in tone, with slow pacing and a complex story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Melancholic
- Pacing
- Slow
- Story
- Complex
- Intensity
- Medium
- Ending
- Bittersweet
A poignant, slow-burning sci-fi drama that meditates on the intersection of love, artistic expression, and cosmic loneliness with a melancholic and operatic atmosphere.
- melancholic
- lonely
- introspective
- romantic
- dreamlike
- poignant
- love triangle
- musical artistry
- space exploration
- loneliness
Quiz
How well do you remember Mars and April? Test yourself on the story.
Where to Watch Mars and April
Rent or buy it from Google Play Movies and YouTube. US availability and prices from JustWatch.
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