Departure (2015 film)
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- Pietro Greppi
- Cora Palfrey
- Guillaume Tobo
| Departure | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Andrew Steggall |
| Written by | Andrew Steggall |
| Produced by |
|
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Brian Fawcett |
| Edited by | Dounia Sichov |
| Music by | Jools Scott |
Production companies | Motion Group Pictures Connectic Studio Amaro Films |
| Distributed by | Peccadillo Pictures (UK) |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 109 minutes |
| Countries | United Kingdom France |
| Languages | English French |
Departure is a 2015 English–French independent coming-of-age romantic drama film written and directed by Andrew Steggall in his feature directorial debut. The film stars Juliet Stevenson, Alex Lawther, Phénix Brossard, Finbar Lynch, and Niamh Cusack.[1]
It premiered at the BFI London Film Festival on 9 October 2015 before a UK theatrical release on 20 May 2016 through Peccadillo Pictures.[2][3]
Beatrice (Juliet Stevenson) and her teenage son Elliot (Alex Lawther) arrive in southern France to prepare their family holiday home for sale. Both mother and son are in transitional phases: Beatrice is confronting the breakdown of her marriage, while Elliot is experiencing a sexual awakening. Elliot becomes infatuated with Clément (Phénix Brossard), a local French teenager with a rebellious streak.
Over the course of a week, the family's tensions, unspoken secrets, and shifting relationships unfold. Elliot's friendship with Clément develops into a deeper, romantic bond, mirroring Beatrice's own attempts to navigate emotional upheaval. Their stories converge in a meditation on desire, adolescence, and the dissolution of family ties.[4]
Cast
- Juliet Stevenson as Beatrice
- Alex Lawther as Elliot
- Phénix Brossard as Clément
- Niamh Cusack as Sally
- Finbar Lynch as Philip
- Patrice Juiff as François
- Guillaume Tobo as the butcher
- Danièle Catala as woman at the market
Critical response
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 87% of 15 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.0/10.[5][6] Variety positively noted the film's score and camera work but critiqued the "pretentious" dialogue.[7] Ryan Morris of Film Inquiry praised Lawther, Brossard, and Stevenson's performances, but criticized the visual metaphors and lack of character development.[8]
