What a gem of a film !! The acting across-the-board was fabulous, the characters all believable. The children were especially wonderful (as well as their adult counterparts) - the story explores the angst of abandonment- as experienced by siblings (old and young), parents, spouses, coworkers and friends ... tragedies and mistakes that are devastating become the fertile garden from which new life grows. Moving from the city of Paris to a small coastal town, the beautiful scenery provided a stark contrast to the grief, anger, desperation and despondency of a father and his children who were abandoned by their mother without reason or answers forthcoming... This film transcends culture. A moving, bittersweet journey through the tragedy of loss and resurrection of the lives that survive.
