HAND IN HAND

From the moment they meet – and against their will – Héléne and Joachim begin a lovers' dance they are powerless to stop.

In the capital to install mirrors at the prestigious Paris Opera, working-class, provincial glazier and skateboarding fanatic Joachim (Jérémie Elkaïm) kisses posh ballet impresario Héléne (Valérie Lemercier) on a whim. Inexplicably, and against their will, they find they are physically unable to leave each other's side – when one moves, the other mimics; when one leaves, the other follows – much to their own chagrin and that of the people around them: Héléne's girlfriend, Constance, and Joachim's sister, Véro.

Director Valérie Donzelli follows her 2011 Cannes smash Declaration of War with this charming modern-day fairytale. With standout performances, and a romantic mélange of screwball storytelling, dance and music, it's a rom-com with a surreal twist.

"Whimsical and high-concept … Hand in Hand is a gentle, quirky take on the mystical and somewhat random power of attraction and love." – The Playlist

D/S Valérie Donzelli P Edouard Weil WS Wild Bunch L French w/English subtitles TD DCP/2012