A Mermaid in Paris

A Mermaid in Paris

Year: 2020

Runtime: 102 mins

Language: French

Echo Score: 90
ComedyDramaFantasyRomance

Love is possible when it’s impossible. A man rescues a mermaid in Paris and slowly falls in love with her.

Whimsical
Bittersweet ending
Moderately emotional
Medium intensity
Steady pacing
Simple story

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline & Setting – A Mermaid in Paris (2020)

Explore the full timeline and setting of A Mermaid in Paris (2020). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

1940s to present

The story spans from the Flowerburger’s 1940s origin to its contemporary struggle. It juxtaposes postwar Paris nostalgia with a current fight to save a cherished family business. Time ties the mermaid mystery to the lives of Parisian residents and the music that sustains them.

Location

Paris, Flowerburger on a barge, Seine River

Paris provides the backdrop for a bohemian cabaret life aboard the Flowerburger. The venue sits on a barge on the Seine, founded by Gaspard's grandmother in the early 1940s and now threatened by debt. The riverfront atmosphere blends music, art, and the fight to preserve a beloved family legacy.

🎭 Bohemian 🎶 Musical 🚢 River setting

Last Updated: October 14, 2025 at 04:03

Main Characters – A Mermaid in Paris (2020)

Meet the key characters of A Mermaid in Paris (2020), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Gaspard Snow (Nicolas Duvauchelle)

A 40-year-old crooner at the Flowerburger who carries his grandmother’s legacy and a heartbreak-filled past. He resists new romantic fantasies while clinging to the music and memories that define him. When Lula arrives, he shelteringly protects her and defies his father to keep the venue and their fragile bond alive.

🎤 Crooner ❤️ Romantic 🔒 Protective

Lula (Marilyn Lima)

A mermaid washed ashore who is kept in Gaspard’s bathtub. Her singing can mesmerize men, but she fears dying if she must return to the ocean within two days. She forms a tentative bond with Gaspard, hoping to heal and stay longer to fulfill her need to survive.

🧜‍♀️ Mermaid 🌊 Ocean-bound ✨ Enigmatic

Milena (Romane Bohringer)

Victor’s pregnant girlfriend and a doctor who becomes obsessed with solving his death. She investigates the mysterious events surrounding Lula and Victor, discovering a pop-up book that documents Flowerburger’s history. Her pursuit intensifies as she seeks to stop Lula from causing further harm.

⚕️ Doctor 🕵️ Investigator 💔 Grief

Victor (Alexis Michalik)

A doctor who is hypnotized by Lula’s singing and dies suddenly. His death kickstarts Milena’s investigation and the ensuing race to uncover Lula’s origins. His memory lingers through the clues he leaves behind, including a pop-up book about the Flowerburger.

⚕️ Doctor 🎵 Hypnotized 💔 Tragic

Camille (Cali)

The aging father and owner of the Flowerburger, who sees the barge as a precious family heirloom. He presses to sell the venue to fix finances, setting up the central conflict between preserve and part with the past.

👨‍👦 Family patriarch 💼 Businessman 💔 Burdened

Rossy (Rossy de Palma)

Gaspard’s nosy, eccentric neighbor who sheds light on the Flowerburger’s history and its importance to Gaspard. She provides comic relief and practical insight as Lula navigates life in Paris.

🗣️ Neighborly 🎭 Eccentric 🤝 Supportive

Last Updated: October 14, 2025 at 04:03

Major Themes – A Mermaid in Paris (2020)

Explore the central themes of A Mermaid in Paris (2020), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

❤️ Love

Love drives the characters toward daring choices and peril. Lula’s hypnotic singing draws people in, often with deadly consequences, while Gaspard guards his heart after past heartbreak. Their growing bond challenges the idea that love must be dangerous, offering a glimmer of healing through art and connection. The theme explores how love can empower, ruin, and endure.

🐚 Myth

Lula embodies a mermaid myth that unsettles the rational world of doctors and scientists. Milena’s investigation blurs the line between legend and evidence as the blue creature’s blood defies explanation. The story blends magical realism with scientific curiosity, forcing characters to confront what they believe about the ocean and its legends. Myth persists even as characters demand proof.

🎶 Legacy

The Flowerburger stands as a living legacy of family, music, and community. Gaspard fights to preserve the venue his grandmother built, despite his father’s push to sell. The ending—Lula’s tears turning into pearls that help buy the Flowerburger and set sail—highlights how art and memory shape inheritance. Legacy is about keeping a place where art, love, and history can endure.

Last Updated: October 14, 2025 at 04:03

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Impossible love blossoms between the mundane and the magical in a contemporary world.Discover movies like A Mermaid in Paris that weave magical beings and supernatural elements into heartfelt contemporary love stories. If you enjoyed the whimsical romance between a man and a mermaid, you'll find similar enchanting tales here.

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Narrative Summary

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Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern focuses on a protagonist struggling with a past trauma or loss. Their life is interrupted by the arrival of a magical or deeply unusual figure. This relationship becomes a catalyst for their emotional journey, forcing them to confront their pain and ultimately find a sense of peace or new beginning, even if the ending is bittersweet.

Why These Movies?

These movies share a specific emotional arc: the intertwining of themes like grief and loss with a whimsical, magical element that serves as a catalyst for healing. The consistent mood is a melancholic yet hopeful blend.

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A Mermaid in Paris Summary

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A Mermaid in Paris Summary

A Mermaid in Paris Timeline

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A Mermaid in Paris Timeline

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A Mermaid in Paris Spoiler-Free Summary

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