Mademoiselle Chambon

This new film from writer-director Stéphane Brizé (‘Not Here To be Loved’) is a refined, sombre and romantic spin on love, lust and the suppression of both. Blessed with the fragile presence of Sandrine Kiberlain – one of Europe’s most underrated actresses – this is the tale of a surly builder, husband and father (Vincent Lindon) and the infatuation he develops his son’s supply teacher (Kiberlain). The pair’s innocent banter develops into something more dangerous following a stirring, private violin rendition of Elgar’s ‘Salut d’Amour’, but they decide that their mutual fondness will never turn into anything that might hurt others. If it sounds prim, it’s not: Brizé guides rather than tells, relying less on dialogue than moody longueurs and suggestive framing. And after a slow build-up, his film emerges as a heartbreaking, ambiguous twist on ‘Brief Encounter’, railway station finale and all. Take hankies.