The Well Digger's Daughter 2012
Made by
Kino Lorber Films
The Well Digger's Daughter Plot Summary
Read the complete plot summary and ending explained for The Well Digger's Daughter (2012). From turning points to emotional moments, uncover what really happened and why it matters.
Nicolas Duvauchelle stars as Jacques Mazel, a 26-year-old pilot in the French Air Force and the only child of a wealthy shopkeeper, who is fishing in a stream near his parents’ home. On the bank appears 18-year-old Patricia Amoretti, Astrid Bergès-Frisbey, the eldest daughter of a widowed well-digger, taking lunch to her father, Pascal, and his employee, Jean-Pierre Darroussin as Félipe. Jacques carries her across the stream and, after seeing her again at an air display the next day, takes her for a ride on his motorbike. On their way home, they stop in a field to make love.
Later that night, Jacques is called for an air campaign in Africa, so, unable to keep a rendezvous with Patricia in the morning, he asks his mother to deliver a letter. She, not approving his choice of company, burns the letter.
Patricia, who concludes that Jacques has rejected her because they are from different social classes, discovers that she is pregnant. Confronted by Pascal, the parents of Jacques reject the idea that their son conceived a child out of wedlock and refuse to acknowledge the expected baby. To spare his five other daughters from the social opprobrium of an illegitimate child in the family, Pascal sends Patricia to have her baby with his sister in another village.
News arrives that Jacques is missing, his plane having gone down in flames behind German lines. Félipe offers to marry Patricia, but she declines, partly because her younger sister Amanda has a crush on Félipe. Grieving over the loss of their son, the Mazels offer to take some responsibility for their newborn grandson, but Pascal obstinately rejects their offer.
It is later revealed that Jacques managed to survive the plane crash by parachuting into neutral Switzerland, and learns that he has a son. His overjoyed parents call on Pascal to ask if he will forgive them and allow a marriage. He agrees if the couple agree. As their love is as strong as when they first met, the film ends happily.
The Well Digger's Daughter Timeline
Follow the complete movie timeline of The Well Digger's Daughter (2012) with every major event in chronological order. Great for understanding complex plots and story progression.
First meeting by the stream
Jacques Mazel, a 26 year old pilot, is fishing by a stream near his parents home. Patricia Amoretti appears with lunch for her father, and Jacques carries her across the stream. This chance encounter sets the stage for a romance across social boundaries.
A glimpse at an air show and a ride
The next day, Jacques spots Patricia again at an air display. He invites her for a ride on his motorbike, and they share a moment of exhilaration. Their budding attraction deepens as they reconnect away from their families.
Lovers in the field
On their way home, they stop in a field to make love, sealing their bond despite social class differences. The moment exposes their willingness to defy norms for each other. The field becomes a private sanctuary for their romance.
Jacques summoned for Africa campaign
That night, Jacques is called away for an air campaign in Africa, separating him from Patricia. He asks his mother to deliver a letter to her, but she burns it, destroying any chance of immediate contact. The family tension foreshadows the social consequences that Patricia will face.
Patricia discovers she is pregnant
Patricia learns she is pregnant, realizing her future is now bound to social judgement. She contemplates the implications of becoming a single mother in a community with rigid norms. The pregnancy changes the power balance between the two families.
Confrontation with Pascal and rejection
Confronted by Pascal, Jacques' parents reject the idea of his son having a child out of wedlock. They refuse to acknowledge the baby, fearing scandal for the Mazels and their other daughters. The social barrier drives a wedge between the families.
Patricia sent away to deliver the baby
To shield his daughters from social opprobrium, Pascal sends Patricia away to have the baby with his sister in another village. The move isolates Patricia from Jacques' world and deepens the heartbreak. It also delays any potential reconciliation between the families.
News of Jacques's disappearance
News arrives that Jacques is missing after his plane goes down behind German lines. Félipe offers to marry Patricia to provide stability, but Patricia declines. The development leaves Patricia single and bearing Jacques' child.
Patricia declines Felipe's proposal
Félipe offers to marry Patricia to provide stability, but Patricia declines. This decision is tempered by the fact that her sister Amanda has a crush on Felipe, which complicates family dynamics. Patricia remains determined to manage the situation on her own terms as she awaits her child.
Mazel family grieves and offers responsibility
The Mazels grieve the loss of their son and express willingness to take responsibility for their grandson. Pascal rejects this proposal, insisting on maintaining his own social code. The social divide remains a barrier to reconciliation.
Jacques survives and learns of his son
It is revealed that Jacques survived by parachuting into neutral Switzerland. He learns that he has a son, and this news rekindles hope for a possible future union. The revelation shifts the stakes for the families as they consider forgiveness and reconciliation.
Mazel seek forgiveness from Pascal
The Mazels visit Pascal to ask for forgiveness and to seek permission for the marriage of the young couple. The request tests Pascal's willingness to overcome class boundaries. The scene marks a crucial step toward resolving the central conflict of the story.
Pascal consents on condition
Pascal agrees to allow the marriage if the couple themselves give their consent and prove their commitment. The two families begin to heal as love overcomes the initial prejudice. The narrative builds toward a hopeful union.
Ending: a hopeful union
With consent secured, the lovers' devotion remains as strong as when they first met. The film ends on a note of happiness and promise for their child. The social obstacles have been overcome by the power of love and family reconciliation.
The Well Digger's Daughter Characters
Explore all characters from The Well Digger's Daughter (2012). Get detailed profiles with their roles, arcs, and key relationships explained.
Jacques Mazel (Nicolas Duvauchelle)
A 26-year-old pilot in the French Air Force, raised in a wealthy shopkeeper family. He pursues a passionate romance with Patricia that defies social norms. After being reported missing, he later is revealed to have survived and learns he has a son with Patricia.
Patricia Amoretti (Astrid Bergès-Frisbey)
Eighteen-year-old daughter of a widowed well-digger, Patricia experiences love, pregnancy, and the consequences of class prejudice. She endures separation and social pressure while staying resilient and determined. Her relationship with Jacques drives the central emotional arc of the story.
Pascal Amoretti (Daniel Auteuil)
Patricia's proud and stubborn father, a well-digger who values family honor. He initially rejects the idea of an illegitimate child and declines to acknowledge the baby. He ultimately consents to a union when the lovers' circumstances change and a hopeful reconciliation is possible.
Félipe
A colleague of Pascal who offers to marry Patricia after Jacques is missing, reflecting wartime social expectations. His willingness to assume responsibility contrasts with the initial rejection by Jacques' family.
The Well Digger's Daughter Settings
Learn where and when The Well Digger's Daughter (2012) takes place. Explore the film’s settings, era, and how they shape the narrative.
Time period
1940s World War II
The action takes place during the early 1940s amid World War II. Jacques serves as a pilot in the French Air Force with campaigns in Africa and a rescue that leads to a stay in neutral Switzerland. The wartime backdrop intensifies social pressures and the stakes for the couple.
Location
France, Africa, Switzerland
The film unfolds in a rural French village and its surrounding countryside. It centers on the clear social divide between a wealthy shopkeeper family and a widowed well digger. The story travels from small town life to the African air campaign and to neutral Switzerland before returning home.
The Well Digger's Daughter Themes
Discover the main themes in The Well Digger's Daughter (2012). Analyze the deeper meanings, emotional layers, and social commentary behind the film.
💖
Love vs Class
Patricia and Jacques fall for each other across a rigid social divide. Their romance causes fear of scandal and drives decisions that threaten their future. The pregnancy intensifies the conflict between desire and social expectations. The narrative probes whether love can overcome entrenched class boundaries.
🤝
Family and Forgiveness
Jacques's family initially rejects the unborn child to preserve family honor. The Mazels consider taking responsibility, while Pascal clings to pride. The story culminates in a conditional blessing that tests willingness to forgive past judgments. The resolution emphasizes reconciliation and the possibility of a united family.
🕊️
War's Impact
War shapes the characters' choices and opportunities, placing love under strain and exposing social tensions. Jacques experiences danger abroad and a perilous return to life that alters his plans. The setting shows how conflict can both separate and ultimately unify families.
👶
Parenthood and Continuity
Patricia bears a child that becomes the symbol of a new family bridging social gaps. The baby anchors future hopes for the couple, enticing both sides of the family to reconsider their positions. The story ends with a renewed commitment and a promise of shared parenthood.
The Well Digger's Daughter Spoiler-Free Summary
Discover the spoiler-free summary of The Well Digger's Daughter (2012). Get a concise overview without any spoilers.
In the sun‑kissed hills of Provence, a modest well‑digging business becomes the heartbeat of a household teeming with life. Pascale, a widower whose hands are as steady as the pumps he maintains, raises six daughters amid the scent of lavender and the steady rhythm of the countryside. The film opens with a palpable mix of pastoral tranquility and the quiet pressure of providing for a large family, setting a tone that is both intimate and gently resilient. Against this backdrop, the community’s expectations weave through daily chores, market visits, and evenings spent around the fire, creating a world where duty and desire often intersect.
The narrative’s central tension revolves around Patricia, the eldest daughter, whose poised maturity has long made her the family’s unofficial anchor. Her father’s hopes rest on a practical arrangement with Felipe, the dependable assistant who has become an extension of the household’s own labor force. Yet the arrival of Jacques, a charismatic pilot whose visits stir both admiration and unease, introduces a subtle undercurrent of change. The film hints at the fragile balance between tradition and the allure of something beyond the familiar fields, suggesting that love and ambition may tilt the scales in unexpected ways.
As Europe slips into the shadows of war, the quiet rhythms of the farm are tinged with uncertainty. The looming conflict casts a muted pall over the characters’ plans, prompting Pascale to confront the limits of his control while his daughters navigate the shifting terrain of personal hopes and societal expectations. The tone remains a careful blend of tenderness and quiet tension, inviting viewers to wonder how the simple act of tending a well might echo larger questions of family, sacrifice, and the future that lies just beyond the horizon.
Featured on this page
What's After the Movie?
Not sure whether to stay after the credits? Find out!
Explore Our Movie Platform
New Movie Releases (2026)
Famous Movie Actors
Top Film Production Studios
Movie Plot Summaries & Endings
Major Movie Awards & Winners
Best Concert Films & Music Documentaries
Movie Collections and Curated Lists
© 2026 What's After the Movie. All rights reserved.