Une année difficile, the comedy by Éric Toledano and Olivier Nakache starring Pio Marmaï, Jonathan Cohen and Noémie Merlant, airs on TF1 on Sunday, April 19, 2026 at 9:10 p.m. Released in cinemas in October 2023, the film brings together two themes rarely paired so openly in a single French work: over-indebtedness and the actions of environmental activists.
A Difficult Year
Film | 2023
Cinema release: October 18, 2023
Broadcast on TF1: Sunday, April 19, 2026 at 9:10 PM
Comedy | Duration: 2h
Directed by Éric Toledano, Olivier Nakache | Starring Pio Marmaï, Jonathan Cohen, Noémie Merlant
Original title: A Difficult Year
Nationality: France
The story follows Albert and Bruno, two men in dire financial straits who cross paths with a group of young environmental activists. Their presence in that world isn’t initially a conversion or a clear commitment, but a very concrete opportunism. The film rests on the collision between two realms the directors sought to bring closer: on one side the spiral of consumption and credit, on the other the rhetoric of degrowth, commercial blockades, and the questioning of consumer habits.
This blend of comedy and social issue extends part of Toledano and Nakache’s body of work, while steering their gaze toward material more closely tied to today’s debates. The two filmmakers say they developed the project after the lockdown, starting from the contrast between the sudden slowdown of society and the glut of consumption. That starting point fuels a film that foregrounds the contradictions of its characters rather than a simple clash between “good” and “bad” camps.
The main cast pairs Jonathan Cohen and Pio Marmaï in the roles of two bruised paths, with Noémie Merlant among the ranks of the activist group. Mathieu Amalric also features in the cast. The project also marks the duo’s return to comedy after their work on the series En thérapie, embracing a more satirical tone and an unapologetic fondness for imperfect characters, leaning more on resourcefulness than on showmanship.
Another notable element is that several mobilization scenes were filmed with real environmental activists woven into the film's framework. The directors also discussed the difficulties of re-creating certain mass-consumption scenarios, particularly around Black Friday, which highlights the very concrete social backdrop chosen for this story.
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