Love Me Tender

France | 2025 | 133 min

Language: French

Subtitles: English

Suitable for audiences aged 12 and above

Director(s): Anna Cazenave Cambet

Script: Anna Cazenave Cambet based on the book by Constance Debré

Cast: Vicky Krieps, Monia Chokri, Antoine Reinartz, Viggo Ferreira Redier, Park Ji-min, Salif Cissé, Clotilde Courau, Féodor Atkine, Aurélia Petit

Production: Novoprod Cinéma

Distribution: Be for Films

Drama | Comedy

Female Director Queer Parenthood Family Filmatisation

Screenings:

A familiar face at Espoo Ciné, Vicky Krieps once again delivers a remarkable performance in a French language drama Love Letters directed by Anna Cazenave Cambet, which premiered this year at the Cannes Film Festival in the Un Certain Regard section.

The film is based on Constance Debré’s novel and follows Clémence (Krieps), a mother who begins a new relationship with a woman, only to be drawn into a fierce custody battle with her ex-husband Laurent (Antoine Reinartz). Though outwardly tolerant, Laurent does everything in his power to gain full custody of their child, devising various ways to block Clémence’s visitation rights.

Krieps skillfully brings depth and authentic vulnerability to her portrayal of Clémence, caught in the crossfire between motherhood, sexual freedom, and societal prejudice. Scenes in which she’s allowed to see her son only under the watchful eye of social workers are especially heartbreaking.

Timo Kuismin