An Impossible Love

An Impossible Love

Year: 2018

Runtime: 135 mins

Language: French

Director: Catherine Corsini

Echo Score: 75
HistoryDramaRomance

This story follows the evolving relationship between a mother, Rachel, and her daughter, Chantal, spanning from 1958 to the present day. Their bond is tested by the presence of Chantal's father, Philippe, whose manipulative and unpredictable nature threatens to disrupt their unconditional love and create lasting challenges for the family.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline – An Impossible Love (2018)

Trace every key event in An Impossible Love (2018) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Meeting and start of the affair

Rachel, a modest office worker in Châteauroux, meets Philippe Arnold, a brilliant young man from a wealthy bourgeois family. Their attraction is brief but intense, sparking a passionate affair. This relationship sets the stage for the birth of their daughter and the coming complications.

late 1950s Châteauroux
2

Birth of Chantal and separation

From the affair, Rachel gives birth to their daughter, Chantal. Philippe leaves Rachel and refuses to marry outside his class or religion. Rachel is left to raise Chantal on her own, finding strength in motherhood despite social pressures.

late 1950s Châteauroux
3

Raising Chantal and quiet happiness

Rachel dedicates herself to raising Chantal, who becomes a major source of happiness in her life. The mother-daughter bond deepens even as Philippe remains distant and inconsistent. The family tries to navigate love, class, and duty without a formal partnership.

1960s Châteauroux
4

Philippe's engagement to another and expulsion

Philippe announces that he will marry a younger woman from a German family who is already pregnant. Rachel is devastated by the news and expels him from the house. The reveal reinforces Philippe's unwillingness to acknowledge Chantal within his social circle.

early 1960s Châteauroux
5

Strasbourg meeting as Chantal turns fourteen

All three meet in Strasbourg when Chantal is fourteen. The encounter pushes Rachel to demand Philippe legally acknowledge his daughter so she can have rights and a proper last name. Philippe initially agrees in a letter but soon backtracks and refuses, setting a pattern of vacillation.

Chantal is 14 Strasbourg
6

Recognition sought and eventual surname change

Rachel continues campaigning for formal recognition, and Philippe eventually acquiesces, changing Chantal's last name to Arnold. The trio moves forward with a new life, relocating to Reims to start afresh away from previous turmoil.

shortly after Chantal is 14 Strasbourg / Reims
7

Philippe's financial offer and ongoing affair

On a visit, Philippe offers monthly payments for Chantal and seeks greater involvement in her life. His ongoing affair with Rachel unsettles Chantal and strains the fragile relationship that exists between mother and daughter. The dynamic shows how money and affection fail to bridge the gap.

late 1960s
8

Chantal's teen romance and the abuse revelation

At sixteen, Chantal begins a relationship with Franck, a much older man. Franck privately informs Rachel that Philippe has been sodomising Chantal for a long time. Rachel chooses not to confront her daughter directly about the revelation, letting the information fester within a troubled family dynamic.

Chantal is 16
9

Chantal severs ties with Philippe

Chantal eventually severs ties with Philippe, creating a deep rift that reshapes her emotional development. The rejection marks a turning point as trust becomes fragile and distance grows between father and daughter.

late 1970s
10

Dementia, death, and distant family echoes

Years later, Rachel is middle-aged and married to Alain, who is suffering from dementia. Philippe also develops Alzheimer's, and his death is reported to Chantal, closing a long chapter of his influence in their lives. The family grapples with memory, legacy, and the shadows of the past.

late 20th century France
11

Chantal at 33 in Paris and motherly anger

Chantal, now thirty-three and living in Paris with a daughter, is angry and emotionally scarred, maintaining a fragile relationship with her mother. She directs unjustified anger toward Rachel and sends her away, creating a tense but survivable rift between them.

when Chantal is 33 Paris
12

Five years later, reconciliation in Paris

Five years pass before mother and daughter see each other again in Paris. They finally reconcile and openly discuss the decades of sexual abuse, humiliation, shame, and Philippe's controlling behavior. The conversation brings some closure and a path toward healing, even if scars remain.

five years after item 11 Paris

Last Updated: October 01, 2025 at 13:05

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An Impossible Love Summary

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Characters, Settings & Themes in An Impossible Love

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