That Summer in Paris

Thirty-year-old Blandine travels from Normandy to Paris to reconnect with her half-sister Julie and see her idol, a female swimmer, compete in the Olympics. But nothing goes quite according to plan in this constantly surprising and touching debut. Blandine could be described by some as awkward, but director and co-screenwriter Valentine Cadic demonstrates in a variety of significant ways that the young woman is comfortable in her skin. Turned away from the anticipated swim event due to an overly large backpack, and offered a not very warm welcome from Julie, she instead finds understanding and human contact from a friendly electrician and has moments of bonding with her niece Alma. Cadic is up to something subversive with this warm and empathetic character portrait—instead of presenting Blandine as a sad-sack type, the filmmaker creates a three-dimensional woman who comes to realize the strength she has within and the deep pleasure of her own company. —Rod Armstrong