No Way Back

Aux jours qui viennent

France | 2025 | 100 min

Language: French

Subtitles: English

Suitable for audiences aged 12 and above

Director(s): Nathalie Najem

Script: Nathalie Najem, Olivier Gorce, Mariette Désert

Cast: Zita Hanrot, Bastien Bouillon, Alexia Charard, Marianne Basler

Production: 31 Juin Films

Distribution: Indie Sales

Drama | Thriller

Female Director Parenthood Debut Family Sense of Danger Abuse

Screenings:

After years of toxic relationship with Joachim, Laura is raising their daughter on her own. Joachim's new partner, Shirine, shows up at Laura's door in trouble. Laura realizes that they are both under the same harmful influence. The two women try to help each other find a path out of the toxic relationship.

First-time director Nathalie Najem realistically portrays in No Way Back the everyday life of women, where a relationship that has already ended with a controlling and short-tempered husband casts a long shadow years later.

Bastien Bouillon plays the controlling and aggressive Joachim, whose pathetic, controlling behavior ultimately comes from his feelings of impotence and insecurity. The movie deals with women's resilience in the face of overwhelming controlling aggression.

The film fits nicely into the company of films by Claude Chabrol and Xavier Legrand.

Okko Huopainen