Les Enfants des autres centers on a woman who loves a child who isn’t hers. ARTE will broadcast Rebecca Zlotowski’s film on Wednesday, November 4, 2026 at 9 p.m., featuring Virginie Efira and Roschdy Zem. This French dramedy, released in theaters on September 21, 2022, traces the space Rachel carves for herself within a family that’s already formed.
A 40-year-old French teacher, Rachel falls for Ali and grows close to his daughter Leïla. The everyday gestures pull them into a parental bond, even as her own desire to have a child becomes more defined. Chiara Mastroianni plays Alice, Leïla’s mother.
Presented in competition at Venice in 2022, the film draws on an experience Rebecca Zlotowski says she lived herself. In a note accompanying the festival, the filmmaker explains she aimed to center a woman who is typically relegated to the background as the story’s heroine. That perspective underpins the film’s core: the role of a stepmother and the relationships she forms beyond biology.
To see Virginie Efira in another role, our piece devoted to Revoir Paris also features a review of Alice Winocour's film.
To dive deeper, also check out our picks for films, series and shows to watch on TV this week, our guide to new releases across all platforms, and today’s selection What to watch today on streaming.
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