L’Attachement is a French drama directed by Carine Tardieu, co-written with Raphaële Moussafir, based on Alice Ferney's novel L’Intimité. Starring Valeria Bruni Tedeschi, Pio Marmaï, and Vimala Pons, the film was released in theaters on February 19, 2025. It premiered at the Venice Film Festival 2024 (Orizzonti section) and was crowned at the 51st César Awards in 2026 with three major honors: Best Film, Best Adaptation, and Best Supporting Actress for Vimala Pons.
Sandra, a fiercely independent woman in her fifties, leads a disciplined life divided between her bookstore and her apartment. When her neighbor suddenly finds himself alone with a young boy and a baby, she is reluctantly pulled into their world. What started as a brief favor gradually becomes a regular presence, eventually forging a more profound connection between them.
Over the course of days, attachment develops in the quiet moments of everyday life: a exchanged glance, a shared silence, a communal worry. Sandra, who once claimed a life free of ties, finds herself unexpectedly committed to a family going through a transformation. The film delves into how bonds form beyond traditional boundaries, navigating themes of grief, solitude, and the innate desire to support one another.
With L’Attachement, Carine Tardieu takes a free adaptation of Alice Ferney’s novel published in 2020. The filmmaker chose to focus the story on Sandra’s character, making her the central figure of the film, and opted for an intimate, tightly focused approach. The shoot was carried out with a lightweight crew and a handheld camera designed to stay close to the actors and children. Director of Photography Elin Kirschfink selected a natural color palette, blending warm interior tones with cooler outdoor light. The film received three César Awards in 2026—Best Film, Best Adaptation for Tardieu, Moussafir, and Feuvre, and Best Supporting Actress for Vimala Pons—and garnered five additional nominations, including Best Actress and Best Actor.
Building on the success of Les Jeunes Amants and Ôtez-moi d’un doute, the director continues to delve into human relationships and fragile balances. The film aligns with the tradition of French drama cinema that zeroes in on intimacy, where storytelling emphasizes faces, silences, and dialogue. The sound design, featuring classical music and Eastern European-inspired tracks by Eric Slabiak, supports this delicate emotional landscape without overwhelming or overly highlighting the feelings.
Our review of Attachment :
Some films hit you hard, others whisper softly. Attachment, by Carine Tardieu, belongs to the latter category: an intimate and restrained drama where emotion is built through silence, gestures, and carefully chosen words. Adapted from Alice Ferney’s novel L’Intimité, the film explores how vulnerable lives cross paths, sometimes clash, and ultimately find a shared space — without instructions or promises of immediate resolution.
Featuring Valeria Bruni Tedeschi, Pio Marmaï, and Vimala Pons, Attachment offers a heartfelt reflection on grief, loneliness, and the reshaping of relationships. Without ever pushing for intensity, the story allows feelings to emerge subtly, capturing both the heaviness of absence and the hope of a new equilibrium. The performances are precise and nuanced, rendering characters rich with contradictions and shyness.
Carine Tardieu delivers a organic direction that stays close to the characters’ faces, alternating between close-ups — revealing hesitations and suppressed impulses — and wider shots that place the characters in a sometimes overwhelming everyday backdrop. The visual palette leans towards soft, natural tones: warm interiors where closeness is cautiously rebuilt, and cooler exteriors that echo the initial solitude. This consistent, understated visual language reflects the evolution of relationships without overstatement.
The film draws heavily on Sandra’s journey. Longtime neighbors, this fiercely independent bookseller finds herself unexpectedly caught in a fragile family crisis when an emergency thrusts her into their midst. Bruni Tedeschi portrays a reserved figure, charged with unspoken emotions, conveyed through her gaze, posture, and interrupted phrases. Opposite her, Alex (Pio Marmaï), a young father broken by life, moves through the story with a lightness that conceals exhaustion and sorrow. The film masterfully captures that delicate moment when one keeps going “for the kids,” even without knowing how to move forward.
At the heart of the story is the relationship between Sandra and Elliot (César Botti), which offers a genuine, tender core: awkward exchanges, humorous moments, and always rooted in reality. The dialogues often carry a subtle irony, avoiding explanations or melodrama. For example, one scene speaks volumes about the film’s approach to strength, responsibility, and childhood admiration:
"Having children is beyond me!
- Is my mom strong?
- She’s able to handle your life, and not just her own. Yeah, I think Cécile is very strong."What’s striking is the refusal of easy solutions. The film does not provide “answers” to grief or loneliness; instead, it observes with sensitivity how each person fumbles, stumbles, and begins again. The sound design contributes to this sense of authenticity: a minimalist soundtrack, touches of classical music, and eloquent silences where you hear breathing, a page turn, or a child’s impatience. These details foster intimacy without ever overdoing it.
Beyond melodrama, Attachment poses a simple yet profound question: what makes a family? Blood, routine, presence, the choice to stay — even imperfectly. Tardieu doesn’t offer easy answers, and that’s part of the film’s strength: no character is idealized, each moves forward with their blind spots. A line from Sandra to Alex encapsulates this ethos of living in the moment rather than seeking salvation: "I’m just the one who was there! Your mission is to be happy, so Lucille can have something to hold on to. Otherwise, she’s doomed."
Attachment is a film of tenderness and modesty, never sentimental or showy. It favors nuance over spectacle, allowing viewers to truly engage with its characters. A film that doesn’t aim for shock value but instead leaves a lasting impression — like those subtle bonds that gradually become essential.
L’Attachement
Film | 2025
Scheduled for release: February 19, 2025
Drama | Duration: 1h45
Directed by Carine Tardieu | Starring Valeria Bruni Tedeschi, Pio Marmaï, Vimala Pons
Original title: L’Attachement
Country: France
Honored by the César Academy, this drama cements Carine Tardieu’s status in contemporary French cinema as a filmmaker adept at blending literary adaptation with intimate storytelling focused on family dynamics. Driven by a praised cast and tight direction, it stands out as one of the most memorable films of 2025.
For those looking to extend their movie theater experience, check out the movie releases for February, discover the must-see films of the moment, and browse our top drama picks of the year.
