The First Day of the Rest of Your Life(2008)

A Happy Event(fr)

She drove me into a corner, then forced me to go beyond my limits. She made me confront the absolute: love, sacrifice, tenderness, abandonment. She dislocated me, transformed me. Why didn't anyone warn me? Why doesn't anyone ever talk about this?" Un heureux événement, or an intimate view of motherhood, sincere and with no taboos.

The Children of the Marshland(fr)

The film is set in Marais, a quiet region along the banks of Loire river in 1918. Riton is afflicted with a bad-tempered wife and three unruly children. Garris lives alone with his recollections of World War I trenches. Their daily life consists of seasonal work and visits from their two pals: Tane, the local train conductor and Amédée, a dreamer and voracious reader of classics.

A Taste of Ink(fr)

Vincent, still of tender age, has already tattooed most of his body and hoarsened his voice with his post-hardcore band – his way of venting his frustrations and desires. Ever since his mother died, he shares his time between Porte de Clignancourt and Bastille, between a piercer job he is unhappy with and his fishmonger father, Hervé, who is trying to start a new life with a younger woman named Julia. Vincent is initially appalled by the woman, with whom his father has ‘betrayed’ his mother, but the more they get to know each other, the more he becomes intrigued by the beautiful and empathetic woman. Unlike his father, she shows interest in him, even attending one of his gigs. What starts out as a potential way of reconciling with his father soon implodes.

Rumba(fr)

Teachers in a rural school, happy couple Fiona and Dom have a common passion: Latin Dancing. One night, after a glorious dance competition, they have a car accident and see their lives turn upside down. Rumba or how optimism and humour can overcome fatality!

David et Madame Hansen(fr)

David is an occupational therapist who has recently arrived at a clinic for wealthy patients. One morning, he is entrusted with Madame Hansen-Bergmann, a wealthy woman suffering from transient amnesia and post-traumatic stress , with the mission of taking her to the nearby village to buy a new pair of shoes. Against his will, he embarks with her on a breathtaking chase during which he discovers the past life of his patient and the origins of the illness from which she suffers.

Angels in Fast Motion(da)

The unflinching tale of Maria, Allan and Steso, who are struggling for survival. Maria is a pusher frau, wandering restlessly among addicts, abusers and bikers in a relentless search for love. Allan has just returned from an ill-fated trip across the Pacific and must reclaim his life and stay clean, but ghosts from his past return to haunt him. Steso, the intellectual, god-forsaken and prophetic cynic, does his utmost to unite the two polar opposites that give meaning to his life: his girl and drugs. All three try desperately to make some sense of the madness, but how do you find meaning in the chaos that is life? And how do you find love if you can't recognize it?

Father of My Children(fr)

Grégoire Canvel has everything a man could want. A wife he loves, three delightful children and a stimulating job. He's a film producer. Discovering talented filmmakers and developing films that fit his conception of the cinema-free and true to life-is precisely his reason for living. Yet his prestigious production company, Moon Films, is on its last legs. Too many productions, too many risks, too many debts. Storm clouds are gathering. But Grégoire ploughs on at all costs. Where will his blind obstinacy lead him?

Restless(fi)

Ari, a paramedic, is a chronic womanizer; he makes it a point of pride to never sleep with the same woman twice, and his nights are a long series of brazen one-night stands. But when Ari meets Tiina, something unexpected happens – he falls in love.

The French Revolution(fr)

A history of the French Revolution beginning from the decision of the king to convene the Etats-Generaux in 1789 in order to deal with France's debt problem. Part one spans the event until August 10, 1792 (when the King Louis XVI lost all authority and was imprisoned). Part two carries the story through the end of the terror in 1794.

It All Starts Today(fr)

In a mining town which has been blighted by economic downturns, an elementary school headmaster struggles to obtain social services on behalf of his students.

The Merry Widow(fr)

Anne-Marie lives an easy life with Gilbert, a rich plastic surgeon: a beautiful house, a doggy, a cleaning lady, expensive furniture, the lot. Not so easy in fact when she thinks twice. She does not get on with her husband any longer. She gets on his nerves and he does not attract her any longer. She feels good only when she jogs on the beach and ... when she is the arms of her lover, Leo. One day, Gilbert gets killed in a car accident. Good news, since she will be able to live with Leo. The trouble is her well-meaning family settle at her villa with a view to supporting the "poor widow" morally. Anne-Marie just cannot admit she is not distressed at all, especially to her son Christophe. She is now even more of a prisoner than when Gilbert was alive...

The Straight Line(fr)

Leila is released from prison after five years of confinement. She will meet Yannick, a young athlete who became blind after an accident. This last practice race despite his disability, but to run it must be connected by a wire to guide a person called. It offers Leila to be his guide. Through this project, they will learn to rebuild.

Wonderful World(en)

Ben Singer is a failed children's folk singer, a career proofreader, a less-than-extraordinary weekend dad, and perhaps the most negative man alive. Floundering in all aspects of his life, Ben's only comfort comes from regular chess games and friendly debates on game theory with his Senegalese roommate Ibou. When Ibou is suddenly struck ill, Ben's pessimistic worldview seems unequivocally confirmed. It takes an extended visit from Ibou's sister Khadi for Ben to realize that cynicism may be all a matter of perspective.

The Man of My Life(fr)

A man vacationing in the country with his wife and children finds ideas he has of himself unexpectedly challenged.

Fuck My Weddin‪g(es)

When Angela gets pregnant, Javier proposes to her, but Javier's new intern wants more than his guidance.

Caught in the Act(en)

After de-bunking her philandering spouse's deceptions, Jodie Colter accidentally stumbles onto the murder case of a former homecoming queen. She quickly finds that her natural snooping skills, honed on catching her cheating husband, can be put to even better use by bringing a killer to justice. With her children in tow, she pieces together the clues that prove the homecoming queen's canny lawyer husband is a murderer.

The Discreet(fr)

There is an author who has been dumped by his girlfriend and has no inspiration for a next novel. In an attempt to find a solution to both crises, he, along with his publisher friend, decides to seduce a young woman with the singular purpose of keeping a diary of the seduction and then dump her before publishing the book about it. Unfortunately he falls in love with her.

Lost and Found(fr)

Franck wants a quiet life and a fresh start. After 15 years of a failed theatre career, he finds a seemingly perfect job: museum guard. But that is before he meets Sybille, his neurotic colleague.

The Nun(fr)

Suzanne Simonin describes her life of suffering in letters. As a young woman she is sent to a convent against her will. Since her parents cannot afford the dowry required for a marriage befitting her rank they decide she must instead become a nun. Although a kind and understanding Mother Superior helps her to learn the convent’s daily routine, Suzanne’s desire for freedom remains unabated. When the Mother Superior dies, Suzanne finds herself faced with reprisals, humiliation and harassment at the hands of the new Abbess and the other Sisters. For many years, Suzanne is subjected to bigotry and religious fanaticism. (Berlinale.de)

Blood(en)

When a young vampire comes home for easter dinner, she must hide her vampyrism out of fear of rejection from her devout Irish-Catholic mother.

The Ceiling(fi)

On the brink of divorce a middle aged man, Olavi, retreats to his cabin by the lake. After a few days he finds that the ceiling has come down making him unable to stand up straight. His friend Tuomas arrives and insists that something has to be done whereas Olavi is content with the limited space.

Grumpy Old Santa(en)

Nic (Glenn Morshower), a devoted father, husband, and friend with a passion for fishing and bowling, had the perfect life until his wife left after they became empty nesters, leaving him heartbroken. However, his world takes a hilarious turn when he secretly starts dating his best friend's (Kevin Farley as Pastor Kris) sister, leading to uproarious complications. This heartwarming comedy-drama follows Nic as he navigates the aftermath of his wife's departure, discovering the transformative power of love, friendship, and laughter in unexpected places, all while cherishing his favorite pastimes of fishing and bowling. Actor/Comedian Gary Valentine plays the role of Spike, Nic's high school rival.

First Reformed(en)

A pastor of a small church in upstate New York starts to spiral out of control after a soul-shaking encounter with an unstable environmental activist and his pregnant wife.

Terminal(de)

George, stoic and overprotective, travels to Zurich with his daughter Rachel. One is planning physician-assisted suicide; the other has just one day left to intervene.

Things in Their Season(en)

The son in a close-knit family of Wisconsin dairy farmers decides to get married and move out of the house, just as his mother discovers she has incurable leukemia and only a short time to live.

Blackwood(en)

A look at the challenges of living in a small Australian town, portrayed through the lens of a novelist and her teenage son.

Titane(fr)

A woman with a metal plate in her head from a childhood car accident embarks on a bizarre journey, bringing her into contact with a firefighter who's reunited with his missing son after 10 years.

La Patro(eo)

The Key(it)

Art professor Nino Rolfe attempts to break down his wife Teresa's conventional modesty. Noticing her affection for their daughter's fiancé, Nino instigates her sexual interest in him - setting off a chain of unexpected events and emotional complications...

El Desconsuelo(es)

Mother and daughter, separated and alone, mourn the death of their respective husband and father. After this, they begin to hear mysterious noises and enter a progressive spiral of terror and paranoia. The different ways of facing loss, anxiety, pain and lack of communication.

Goodbye Darling, I'm Off to Fight(it)

Husbands and Wives(en)

When Jack and Sally announce that they're splitting up, this comes as a shock to their best friends Gabe and Judy. Maybe mostly because they also are drifting apart and are now being made aware of it. So while Jack and Sally try to go on and meet new people, the marriage of Gabe and Judy gets more and more strained, and they begin to find themselves being attracted to other people.

The Perfect Holiday(en)

Nancy Taylor, a divorced mother of three, feels especially lonely during the holidays. All she wants for Christmas is to meet a nice man - even just a nice compliment would make her day. Sensing her sadness, Nancy's little girl, Emily, has a plan to make her mom happy again. She shares her Mommy's wish with shopping mall Santa, Benjamin Armstrong. And Benjamin, who is also a struggling songwriter, knows exactly the right words to say.

Heidi(de)

Heidi is a happy, outgoing orphan who lives with her grandfather in the idyllic scenery of the Swiss Alps. Heidi makes friends quickly and people know they can always rely on her for help. She loves the freedom of life in the mountains, but she also learns how to take on responsibility. Her cheerful nature helps to show others how to handle the challenges of everyday life and still be happy. Heidi’s honesty and natural charm inspires both courage and a joy of life in everyone she meets.

Nora Prentiss(en)

Quiet, organised Dr Talbot meets nightclub singer Nora Prentiss when she is slightly hurt in a street accident. Despite her misgivings they become heavily involved and Talbot finds he is faced with the choice of leaving Nora or divorcing his wife. When a patient expires in his office, a third option seems to present itself.

WAJBA(ar)

A mother and her son find themselves in an awkward situation where they live in the same building but they're separated due to different reasons. Mahmood develops a system to solve this issue and the situation starts to heat up.

Rolling Vengeance(en)

A truck driver builds a special, eight-ton monster truck to help get revenge against the rednecks who killed his family.

Not Such An Easy Life(es)

Today Isaías runs back and forward between the park where he plays with his kids and his architecture studio, where he complains to his colleague Nico. No matter where he is, Isaías feels he should be somewhere else. And when he's with Ainhoa, his wife, they realise just how tiring children can be when they're so young. In the park, he makes friends with Sonia, the mother of another child, from whom he learns that raising children and coming of age isn't that easy. It never was.

The Ever After(en)

Ava and Thomas live--to outside eyes--the good life, complete with a child and a lovely home in Los Angeles, but something is lost. Ava has placed her acting career on hold to play the mother and good wife, while Thomas' job as a fashion photographer puts him in dangerously tempting situations. When trauma strikes, they must confront their innermost vulnerabilities to recover their disintegrating marriage.