L'Avenir (aka Things To Come) (2016)

A middle aged philosophy author and professor (Isabelle Huppert) suddenly finds her life in crisis when her husband (Andre Marcon) leaves her, her suicidal mother (Edith Scob) has a breakdown, her publisher doesn't renew her contract and her favorite student (Roman Kolinka) questions her commitment to her ideals. Directed by Mia Hansen Love and with a wonderful performance by Huppert at its core. A lot happens to Huppert's character in the film but it's far from a melodrama. It's a quietly cerebral look at a woman dealing with drastic changes and rather than falling apart, accepting the inevitable and opportunity for a second chance at freedom and all the uncertainty, fear and possibilities it promises. Hansen-Love's film isn't a mainstream feminist tract like AN UNMARRIED WOMAN or ALICE DOESN'T LIVE HERE ANYMORE. Rather it's a deceptively simple look at the possibilities of the extraordinary emerging from the ordinary. We follow Huppert's character as she lives her life, much like our own, but the film ends with her journey just beginning. As to what will happen, we know as much as she does ... which is nothing. With Sarah Le Picard and Solal Forte.