Goodbye First Love

Camille, 15, is deeply in love with Sullivan, 19. He reveals he will travel for 10 months to South America and will not take her along, which sows insecurity and jealousy in Camille. They share a tender moment as departure approaches, knowing their future could be tested by distance.

They spend one final idyllic vacation at Camille's mountain home in Ardèche. The vacation starts happily but Camille becomes unhappy when Sullivan is away too long on an errand. After a brief fight, they reconcile, and Sullivan promises to always love her.

Sullivan leaves for his trip, leaving Camille despondent and clingy to the relationship. She regularly receives letters from him, which initially feel loving but gradually take on an unhappy tone as distance grows. He eventually reveals he wants to break off the relationship and stops writing.

Overcome by despair, Camille makes a suicide attempt but survives. The experience becomes a turning point as she resolves to rebuild her life apart from Sullivan. She channels her pain into personal growth and independence.

Four years pass since the tragedy, and Camille pursues education and work to keep loneliness at bay. She begins studying architecture and gradually falls in love with her much older professor, Lorenz, who offers stability and intellectual companionship. Their bond signals a new chapter in her life.

Eight years after the tragedy, Camille has established a career and is in a relationship with Lorenz. She unexpectedly encounters Sullivan's mother and reconnects with Sullivan's old circle of acquaintances, revealing that Sullivan's world remains present in her life. The chance encounter unsettles Camille as she weighs the past against her present commitments.

On the day she meets Sullivan again and feels a lingering attraction, Camille experiences a miscarriage, marking a painful crossroads in her romantic life. The loss intensifies the conflicting emotions she already feels between past and present loves. The event crystallizes the difficulty of choosing between Lorenz and Sullivan.

Following the emotional turmoil, Lorenz goes on a work trip, and Camille and Sullivan begin an affair, admitting they never stopped loving each other. Their renewed bond strains Camille's relationship with Lorenz and challenges her sense of loyalty. The affair marks a decisive turn toward pursuing love outside conventional boundaries.

Camille secretly plans to visit Sullivan's new home in Marseille under the pretense of visiting a friend. A train strike disrupts the plan, blocking her path to him. Sullivan texts that he is busy with work, suggesting they will meet another time.

Camille's mother shows her a letter Sullivan recently sent. In the letter, Sullivan says he dreamt of her with someone else and that they must break up because they are too early or too late for love. He hopes to find her again in the future, but Camille is crushed by the rejection.

Time passes and Camille gradually restores her relationship with Lorenz. She focuses on her career and personal growth, seeking stability after the turbulent affair. The bond with Lorenz strengthens again as she navigates her past.

Back at Camille's mountain home in Ardèche, she invites Lorenz to the nearby river, hoping for a quiet moment of connection. She brings the hat that Sullivan bought her years earlier; as she plays by the water, the hat blows away and floats into the river. The hat's disappearance marks the film's ending, signaling the unresolved nature of Camille's past.