La belle année

Following the death of her father, Angelica, now in her mid-30s, returns to France from Sweden to join her brother in clearing out their cluttered childhood home. Confronting her past and how she was raised by a violent father proves painful. But then Angelica stumbles upon something that awakens warm, beautiful memories: her teenage diaries from the year that she fell head over heels in love with her history teacher. The woman, with her elegant clothing and love of literature, not only ignited Angelica's passion but also became a kind of role model for the young girl during that important period. Angelica allows her thoughts to return to her younger self, and she gradually hatches a plan to contact the woman who once was so important to her. As intimate as a diary, and characterised by a dreamy, nostalgic cinematic language all of its own, "La belle année" is a precisely composed, poignant filmic treatise exploring identity, past, present, and imagined futures.