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Love Affair(s) (2020) movie poster

Timeline

Love Affair(s) (2020) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
2020 · 122 mins · French
Echo score 76
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Directed by
Emmanuel Mouret
Starring
Émilie Dequenne, Vincent Macaigne, Lise Lomi, Julia Piaton, Guillaume Gouix, Niels Schneider
Budget
$3.4M

While on vacation in the French countryside, Daphne finds herself alone when her boyfriend, François, unexpectedly leaves for Paris to cover for a sick colleague. She is joined by Maxime, François’ cousin, and over four days, the two grow closer as they share personal stories and intimate moments while awaiting François’ return.

Romance Drama Cast, crew & box office
On this page (5)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (14)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Every angle
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14 events in order · contains spoilers

Love Affair(s) Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of Love Affair(s) (2020) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. François returns to Paris from the countryside

    During a rural vacation, François is forced to cut the trip short and go back to Paris for work. Daphné, who is three months pregnant, remains behind and faces an uncertain future. This abrupt departure sets the stage for the four days when Daphné and Maxime share their stories.

    When
    Day 1
    Where
    Rural countryside

  2. Maxime arrives to stay with Daphné

    Maxime, a cousin Daphné had never met before, arrives to stay with them in the countryside. He is an aspiring novelist, bringing a new dynamic into the couple's life. The two begin talking and revealing their present and past loves.

    When
    Day 1, afternoon
    Where
    Rural countryside

  3. Daphné and Maxime begin sharing their love stories

    Over four days, they gradually confide their present and past romances to each other. Daphné recounts how she met François, an older documentary filmmaker who never returned her affection. Maxime shares Victoire, a brief relationship who later revealed she was married and moving to Japan.

    When
    Days 1-4
    Where
    Cottage in the countryside

  4. Victoire introduces Maxime to Sandra at a farewell party

    At a farewell party, Victoire introduces Maxime to her sister Sandra, who is actually Maxime's childhood sweetheart though they had broken apart earlier. The meeting adds depth to the tangled pasts surrounding their circle. The moment foreshadows later developments with Sandra and Gaspard.

    When
    During the countryside stay
    Where
    Farewell party

  5. Maxime moves in with Sandra and Gaspard

    After the party, Maxime moves into the large apartment of Sandra’s aunt with Sandra and her roommate Gaspard. The arrangement gives him hopeful expectations as he watches their relationship unfold with ups and downs. The proximity keeps the emotional web spinning around him.

    When
    Mid-stay
    Where
    Sandra’s aunt's apartment

  6. Maxime discovers Sandra and Gaspard's secret meetings and moves out

    Maxime learns that Sandra and Gaspard still meet in secret, undermining any hopes of a simple romance. He decides to move out, ending his stay with them. The four-day interlude leaves him unsettled but reflective.

    When
    Later during stay
    Where
    Sandra’s aunt's apartment

  7. Daphné explains how she met François

    Daphné recounts meeting François, an older documentary filmmaker for whom she worked as an editor. He did not return her love, a past wound that colors their current relationship. Her confession adds depth to the web of relationships around them.

    When
    During the four days
    Where
    Cottage

  8. Daphné and Maxime meet Victoire again during a walk

    After sharing their experiences, Daphné and Maxime run into Victoire on one of their walks. Victoire has separated from her husband in Japan and is staying nearby with her mother, pregnant and supported by family.

    When
    During the countryside stay
    Where
    Countryside

  9. Maxime visits Victoire at her mother's house

    Maxime visits Victoire at her mother's house and even stays overnight, a detail that does not alarm Daphné. The proximity keeps the connection alive as everyone navigates their feelings. Victoire remains a presence in the background as the story unfolds.

    When
    During countryside stay
    Where
    Victoire's mother's house

  10. Louise learns of François and Daphné

    Back in Paris, François learns that his ex-wife Louise has found out about his relationship with Daphné. The revelation heightens the emotional stakes for all involved and tests loyalties. The social circle tightens around the evolving triad.

    When
    After François's return
    Where
    Paris

  11. Daphné and Maxime begin an affair

    By the time François returns, Daphné and Maxime have already begun an affair. François confesses his confused feelings to Maxime, and then decides to simply remain with Daphné, though his certainty wavers. The trio is pulled into an unsettled, shifting dynamic.

    When
    Early morning after François's return
    Where
    Paris

  12. François decides to stay with Daphné

    Despite his confusion, François chooses to stay with Daphné. The decision preserves the current arrangement for the moment, even as doubts linger for all three. Their relationship remains tangled and unresolved.

    When
    Immediately after confession
    Where
    Paris

  13. Maxime leaves by train back to Paris

    Maxime cannot sustain the situation and leaves by train back to Paris. The countryside interlude ends with an air of ambiguity about the future of each character's love life. Daphné remains in Paris, waiting to see what comes next.

    When
    Soon after François's return
    Where
    Train to Paris

  14. Months later, Daphné sees Maxime with Victoire in Paris

    Months have passed when Daphné unexpectedly spots Maxime shopping for Christmas trees in Paris and realizes he is with Victoire. She chooses to turn back toward François, suggesting her longing for a settled path rather than the shifting alliances of the past.

    When
    Months later (around Christmas)
    Where
    Paris

Last updated: February 25, 2026 at 08:24

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Timeline questions answered

Love Affair(s) Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of Love Affair(s) (2020): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why does François leave Daphné alone in the countryside?

François is forced to return to Paris to cover for a sick colleague at work. As a documentary filmmaker based in Paris, he cannot avoid the professional obligation, leaving Daphné, who is three months pregnant, alone in the rural cottage.

  • francois
  • paris
  • work
  • countryside
  • pregnancy
Q2

Why do Daphné and Maxime start an affair?

Over four days of sharing their past and present loves, Daphné reveals she once loved François without reciprocity when she worked as his editor. Maxime shares his failed romance with Victoire. Their mutual confessions about unrequited love and emotional vulnerability create a deep connection, leading them to begin an affair while François is away.

Foreshadowing: Earlier, Daphné admits her past feelings for François were never reciprocated, hinting at her emotional availability.

  • affair
  • emotions
  • vulnerability
  • past love
  • connection
Q3

Why does François stay with Daphné after discovering the affair?

François learns from his ex-wife Louise that she discovered his relationship with Daphné. Despite knowing about Daphné and Maxime's affair, François chooses to remain with Daphné. His decision reflects his confused emotional state and unresolved feelings rather than certainty, he stays but his heart remains unsettled and uncertain.

  • francois
  • louise
  • ex-wife
  • choice
  • confusion
Q4

What happened between Maxime and Victoire?

Maxime had a brief affair with Victoire, who revealed she was married and was moving to Japan with her husband. At a farewell party, Victoire introduced Maxime to her sister Sandra, who was actually Maxime's childhood sweetheart. Later, Victoire separated from her husband in Japan, is three months pregnant, and returns to stay with her mother nearby.

Foreshadowing: The farewell party scene introduces Victoire and sets up her later return to Maxime's life.

  • maxime
  • victoire
  • japan
  • married
  • childhood sweetheart
  • sandra
Q5

Why does Maxime move out from Sandra's apartment?

Maxime moves into Sandra's aunt's large apartment with Sandra and her roommate Gaspard, hoping for a potential romance with Sandra. However, he discovers that Sandra and Gaspard continue to meet in secret despite their ups and downs. Realizing there is no chance for him with Sandra, Maxime decides to move out.

  • maxime
  • sandra
  • gaspard
  • apartment
  • secret meetings
Q6

How did Daphné originally meet François?

Daphné first met François when she worked as an editor for him on his documentary films. She loved him but he did not return her affection, this unrequited love from her past continues to influence her present choices and desires in their relationship.

  • daphne
  • francois
  • editor
  • documentary
  • unrequited love
Q7

Why does Daphné choose to stay with François after seeing Maxime with Victoire?

Months later, around Christmas, Daphné spots Maxime in Paris shopping for Christmas trees with Victoire. This sighting reopens old questions about her past. Rather than pursuing Maxime, Daphné chooses to return to François, preferring the stability of their relationship over the uncertainty of her feelings for Maxime.

  • christmas
  • paris
  • choice
  • stability
  • maxime
  • victoire
Q8

Why is Victoire's pregnancy important to the story?

Victoire reveals she is three months pregnant after separating from her husband in Japan. Like Daphné, who is also three months pregnant, this parallel highlights the themes of uncertain futures and complicated relationships. Victoire's situation adds another layer to the emotional web connecting the characters.

  • victoire
  • pregnancy
  • japan
  • separation
  • daphne
Q9

What happens between Sandra and Gaspard?

Sandra and Gaspard live together in Sandra's aunt's apartment, but their relationship has ups and downs. Maxime watches their dynamics hopefully, but eventually discovers they continue to meet in secret. This secret-keeping ultimately prompts Maxime to move out, as their relationship remains complicated and unresolved.

  • sandra
  • gaspard
  • secret
  • relationship
  • apartment
Q10

Why does the movie end without clear resolution?

The film ends with Daphné returning to François after seeing Maxime with Victoire, but the ending remains bittersweet and unresolved. This reflects the movie's themes, desire, memory, and the ache for connection refuse to be neatly resolved. Characters return to their original partners but with a palpable sense of loss and lingering uncertainty.

  • ending
  • resolution
  • loss
  • desire
  • memory

Movie threads

More Movies Like Love Affair(s), by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Love Affair(s) tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Quietly melancholic romantic dramas like Love Affair(s)

Subtle stories of love, longing, and the space between people. Discover movies similar to Love Affair(s) that capture a gentle, melancholic mood. If you liked its quiet yearning and introspective take on romance, you'll find more emotionally resonant stories here about love's complexities.

  • melancholic
  • introspective
  • yearning
  • quiet
  • romantic
  • contemplative
  • Tone: melancholic, bittersweet, introspective
  • Pacing: slow, deliberate
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Narratives in this thread typically center on character-driven revelations, often set against subdued or isolated backdrops. The plot unfolds slowly through conversations, memories, and subtle emotional shifts rather than external events, leading to endings that are reflective rather than neatly resolved.

Why they belong together: These movies are grouped together because they share a distinctively quiet, melancholic atmosphere, a slow-burn pacing that allows for emotional depth, and a focus on the introspective, often bittersweet aspects of romantic relationships.

Introduction movie poster

Introduction

2022
Fiction movie poster

Fiction

2006
Yearning movie poster

Yearning

1964
Distant movie poster

Distant

2004
Family Romance, LLC movie poster

Family Romance, LLC

2019
Tale of Cinema movie poster

Tale of Cinema

2005
A Summer Tale movie poster

A Summer Tale

2000
Dust in the Wind movie poster

Dust in the Wind

1986

Movies about brief encounters and stolen moments like Love Affair(s)

Stories where a short, intense connection changes lives forever. Find films similar to Love Affair(s) that explore the intensity of short-lived relationships. If you were captivated by the poignant four-day connection, you'll enjoy these stories of life-altering meetings and missed connections.

  • romantic
  • passionate
  • contemplative
  • yearning
  • life choices
  • intimate
  • Tone: romantic, contemplative, bittersweet
  • Pacing: steady, character-driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern follows characters who meet by chance or circumstance and form a deep, often romantic, bond over a brief, isolated period. This intense connection serves as a catalyst for self-reflection, challenging their existing relationships and life paths, culminating in an ending marked by poignant what-ifs.

Why they belong together: These films are united by a shared plot structure: a powerful, time-bound romantic connection that acts as a turning point. They explore themes of infidelity, passion versus commitment, and the lingering impact of what could have been.

Brief Encounter movie poster

Brief Encounter

1974
Brief Encounters movie poster

Brief Encounters

1967
Brief Encounter In Shinjuku movie poster

Brief Encounter In Shinjuku

1990
Déjà Vu movie poster

Déjà Vu

1997
Disappearing Acts movie poster

Disappearing Acts

2000
Stolen Kiss movie poster

Stolen Kiss

2009
Affair with a Stranger movie poster

Affair with a Stranger

1953
Intermezzo: A Love Story movie poster

Intermezzo: A Love Story

1939

Every angle

Love Affair(s) (2020) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Love Affair(s) in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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