A Mermaid in Paris (2020) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

The story takes place in Paris, primarily aboard the Flowerburger, a bohemian cabaret venue located on a barge floating on the Seine River. The barge has been a musical hub since Gaspard's grandmother founded it in the early 1940s.

• paris
• flowerburger
• barge
• seine river
• cabaret
• setting

The Flowerburger is a historic cabaret on a barge owned by Gaspard's family. Founded by his grandmother in the early 1940s, it serves as a live music venue on the Seine and represents the family's artistic legacy. The venue is currently threatened by debt, creating the central conflict over whether to preserve or sell it.

• flowerburger
• cabaret
• barge
• paris
• family legacy
• music venue

The narrative spans from the Flowerburger's founding in the 1940s to the present day, juxtaposing postwar Paris nostalgia with contemporary struggles to save the family business. This time frame allows the story to explore how the mermaid's mystery connects to generations of Parisian residents.

• 1940s
• present day
• paris
• time period
• postwar
• contemporary

The film explores three core themes: Love, depicted as both empowering and dangerous, with characters making daring choices; Myth, centering on Lula the mermaid as a creature who challenges rational understanding; and Legacy, focused on preserving the Flowerburger as a living testament to family, music, and community.

• love
• myth
• legacy
• themes
• family
• music
• heritage

Gaspard Snow is a 40-year-old crooner who performs at the Flowerburger. He carries his grandmother's legacy while dealing with past heartbreak. Though initially resistant to new romance, he becomes protective of Lula and defies his father Camille's push to sell the venue, fighting to preserve what his family built.

• gaspard
• crooner
• flowerburger
• legacy
• protagonist

Lula is a mermaid who washes ashore in Paris and is kept in Gaspard's bathtub. She possesses hypnotic singing abilities that can mesmerize people, often with deadly consequences. She must return to the ocean within two days or she will die, creating urgency around her fate.

• lula
• mermaid
• singer
• hypnotic singing
• ocean

Gaspard and Lula form a tentative bond as she stays in his apartment. He shelteringly protects her from harm while she hopes to heal and stay longer to survive. Their relationship evolves from mutual curiosity to genuine connection, challenging Gaspard's reluctance to open his heart again after past heartbreak.

• gaspard
• lula
• romance
• relationship
• connection

The Flowerburger represents Gaspard's family heritage and his grandmother's legacy. Founded in the 1940s, the venue embodies years of music, art, and community. Gaspard resists selling it despite financial pressure from his father, viewing it as more than a business, it's a living memory that must be preserved for future generations.

• flowerburger
• gaspard
• legacy
• family
• inheritance
• preservation

Lula embodies the theme of Myth, a supernatural figure who unsettles the rational world of doctors and scientists. Her existence blurs the line between legend and reality, forcing characters to confront what they believe about the ocean and its legends. The story uses her to explore how myth persists even when modern society demands proof.

• mermaid
• myth
• legend
• supernatural
• symbolism

The film blends whimsical magical realism with melancholic undertones. While the premise, a mermaid in Paris, carries fantasy charm, the story deals with grief, loss, and the threat to a beloved family business. The ending is bittersweet: Gaspard secures the Flowerburger's future but is separated from Lula, leaving hope for reunion rather than a clear happy conclusion.

• tone
• style
• magical realism
• whimsical
• melancholic
• bittersweet

The Flowerburger's fate ties to Lula's magical tears, which turn into pearls and provide the funds to buy the venue and set sail. This resolution embodies the legacy theme, art and memory shaping inheritance, showing how love and sacrifice can preserve a place where history and connection can endure.

• flowerburger
• resolution
• pearls
• legacy
• ending
• sail

Key supporting characters include: Milena, a pregnant doctor investigating Victor's death and Lula's origins; Victor, the doctor who dies after being hypnotized by Lula and leaves behind clues; Camille (Cali), Gaspard's father who wants to sell the barge; and Rossy de Palma, Gaspard's eccentric neighbor who provides comic relief and historical insight about the Flowerburger.

• milena
• victor
• camille
• rossy
• supporting characters
• cast