The Past (2013) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Lucie forwarded the emails because she was trying to protect her mother and sabotage Samir's relationship with Marie. After learning that Samir was still married and his wife was in a coma, Lucie acted out of anger and loyalty to her mother, believing that exposing the affair would end the relationship. Her actions inadvertently triggered the suicide attempt.

Foreshadowing: Earlier, Lucie had expressed strong disapproval of Marie's new relationship with Samir, showing her resistance to the situation.

• lucie
• emails
• suicide attempt
• affair
• samir's wife

Samir's wife attempted suicide after discovering his affair with Marie. However, the exact circumstances are unclear because she was in a coma and could not confirm what triggered her attempt. Samir claims the suicide was related to depression and a confrontation at his shop, while Lucie believed her forwarded emails were the cause.

Foreshadowing: Lucie mentions that Samir's wife is in a coma after a suicide attempt caused by learning about the affair.

• samir's wife
• suicide attempt
• coma
• affair
• depression

Lucie believed she called Samir's wife, but she actually spoke to Naïma, Samir's employee. Naïma, who has an accent, gave Lucie Samir wife's email address after their conversation. This misunderstanding led Lucie to believe she had directly contacted the wife when she had not.

Foreshadowing: Earlier, Samir mentions that his wife suffered from jealousy and had been trying to get Naïma fired or deported.

• lucie
• naïma
• phone call
• dry cleaning shop
• misunderstanding

Marie became enraged because Lucie's actions directly caused her husband's wife to attempt suicide. Marie was carrying Samir's child and realized that her daughter's interference had nearly resulted in someone's death. The revelation that Lucie had contacted a woman in a fragile mental state, leading to a suicide attempt, was devastating to Marie.

Foreshadowing: Marie reveals her pregnancy just before the divorce proceedings, raising the stakes of the situation.

• marie
• lucie
• anger
• pregnancy
• suicide attempt

Ahmad agrees to speak with Lucie because Marie asks him to, despite their estrangement. He acts out of a sense of responsibility and perhaps lingering care for Marie and her daughter. Throughout the film, he tries to mediate the family conflict, hoping to help Lucie accept the new situation before he returns to Iran.

Foreshadowing: Ahmad returns specifically to finalize his divorce, but agrees to help with Lucie at Marie's request.

• ahmad
• marie
• lucie
• divorce
• counseling

Samir's wife was intensely jealous of Naïma and repeatedly tried to get her either fired or deported from France. She initiated a confrontation with a customer in the shop, framing Naïma for it. Naïma believed this harassment was motivated by the wife's jealousy, even though the wife was unaware of Samir's affair at that time.

Foreshadowing: Samir tells Ahmad that his wife suffered from depression and that an incident at the shop contributed to the situation.

• naïma
• samir's wife
• jealousy
• conflict
• deportation

It remains ambiguous whether Samir's wife responds. When he sprays his cologne and leans close to ask her to squeeze his hand if she can smell it, a tear rolls down her cheek. However, the film never confirms whether she actually squeezes his hand or if it was just his imagination. The final shot focuses on his hand hovering near hers, leaving the outcome uncertain.

Foreshadowing: The doctors recommended using perfumes to try to stimulate a response from the comatose patient.

• comatose wife
• response
• tear
• hospital
• ambiguous ending

Marie stops Ahmad from discussing the end of their marriage, saying she doesn't need to know such things now. This suggests she is emotionally overwhelmed by recent revelations about Lucie, Samir, and her pregnancy. She appears conflicted about her future with Samir and may be distancing herself from the past, including her relationship with Ahmad.

Foreshadowing: Earlier, Marie questions whether Ahmad still has feelings for her, showing her uncertainty about their relationship.

• marie
• ahmad
• refused conversation
• ending
• emotional state

Lucie disappeared because she was overwhelmed with guilt and feared consequences after confessing that she forwarded the emails and made the phone call that may have triggered Samir's wife's suicide attempt. She went to stay with a friend to escape the confrontation and the adults' reactions to her revelation.

Foreshadowing: After hearing Naïma's account, Lucie becomes distressed and makes her confession about the emails.

• lucie
• disappeared
• guilt
• confession
• friend

Naïma gives Lucie the email address because Lucie called the shop asking for it, and Naïma complied without understanding the consequences. Naïma later explains she was being harassed by Samir's wife and resented her, so she didn't question the request. She believed Samir's wife never read the emails anyway because she chose to drink bleach in front of Naïma rather than in front of her husband or Marie.

Foreshadowing: Samir's wife had been trying to get Naïma fired or deported, creating animosity between them.

• naïma
• email address
• motivation
• harassment
• revenge

Samir brings perfumes to the hospital because doctors recommended using strong scents to try to stimulate a response from his comatose wife. He hopes that the smell of his cologne might trigger some reaction from her, potentially indicating awareness or the beginning of recovery. The scene emphasizes his guilt and lingering connection to her.

Foreshadowing: The doctors have been using sensory stimulation as a method to potentially wake comatose patients.

• perfumes
• hospital
• coma
• scent
• stimulation

Ahmad returns to Iran because his purpose in France was solely to finalize his divorce from Marie. With the divorce completed and the family conflict partially resolved, he has no reason to stay. His return marks the end of his entanglement in Marie, Samir, and Lucie's complicated relationship.

Foreshadowing: The film opens with Ahmad returning to France after four years specifically to complete the divorce.

• ahmad
• iran
• return
• divorce
• leaving