A Man and a Woman

A young widow and film script supervisor who divides her life between Paris and Deauville. She is resilient, practical, and guarded due to her husband’s death, yet she longs for connection. As a devoted mother to Françoise, she balances career demands with family life while remaining wary of heartbreak. Her encounter with Jean-Louis awakens a tentative hope for love amidst lingering grief.

A widowed race car driver raising his son Antoine, balancing fame with a need for stability after a near-fatal crash and the death of his wife Valérie. Charismatic and daring, he pursues life with a mix of passion and caution. His growing bond with Anne tests his resolve to protect his family while embracing a new romance. The memory of his past weighs on his willingness to commit.

The daughter of Anne and Pierre, she attends a boarding school in Deauville. She forms a quick bond with Antoine, acting as a bridge between two families. Her youthful perspective anchors the story in family life and school routines while highlighting the impact of adult decisions on children. She embodies innocence and resilience in a world of loss.

Son of Jean-Louis and Valérie, he also attends a Deauville boarding school. He is a bridge between the two households and a source of emotional gravity for the adults around him. His experience of grief and adaptation mirrors the larger themes of memory and recovery. He observes the romance between his guardians with a mix of curiosity and loyalty to family.

Anne’s late husband, whose death in a film-set accident is the driving tragedy of her past. His memory shadows present choices and colors Anne’s sense of safety in new relationships. Though not present, his legacy persists through Françoise and the family’s dynamic. He represents an anchor and a wound that impacts future happiness.

Jean-Louis’s late wife, who committed suicide after a near-fatal crash. Her memory lingers and affects Jean-Louis’s openness to new love, creating a paradox between longing and avoidance. She remains a spectral presence in the background of their evolving relationship. Her loss helps define the emotional stakes for both parents.