What happens when life pulls you away from your roots—your parents, your childhood friends, their simple routines and quiet concerns—and plunges you into the intensity of urban ambitions? In Partir un jour, Amélie Bonnin’s debut feature film, the protagonist Cécile is confronted with precisely this dilemma. On the brink of opening her own fine dining restaurant, she’s suddenly called back to her rural hometown following her father’s heart attack. The man, who runs a roadside café, becomes the reason for an unexpected return that rekindles old emotions, particularly those tied to a youthful romance, and stirs profound questions about the direction of her life.
This feature film, which premiered as the opening selection of the 78th Cannes Film Festival, is an expanded adaptation of Bonnin’s own César-winning short film from 2023. Notably, the roles initially held by Bastien Bouillon and Juliette Armanet have been switched in this version, offering a fresh dynamic and narrative twist for long-time followers of the project.
Critical Reactions
Philippe Azoury offered a nuanced take on the film:
“It’s a surprising piece. Its placement as the opening film at Cannes is slightly odd—not only because it’s a debut work, but also because it lacks the depth typically associated with cinema. It feels more like it belongs on television. However, it’s redeemed by its sincere faith in the power of popular music. Initially, I was sceptical of the giant karaoke aspect, but Bonnin clearly cherishes what she’s filming. She uses music to reflect who we are, suggesting that it’s the most immediate way of telling our collective story. What’s particularly compelling is how she brings Juliette Armanet into the film not with original songs, but with covers that are introduced in genuinely thoughtful ways. The songs emerge naturally from the story.”
Azoury also touched on a broader, more sobering observation about the industry:
“The film signals Cannes’ quiet acknowledgement of cinema’s fading authority. It’s no longer the common ground it once was—television and pop culture have taken its place.”
Murielle Joudet took a more critical stance:
“While I found Partir un jour pleasant and clever in its construction, I didn’t feel like I was watching a film. It came across more as a marketing product than a work of cinema. I didn’t connect with the filmmaker—I connected with a strategist. From that perspective, it makes perfect sense for Cannes to put it in the spotlight; after all, the festival is deeply invested in films that promise commercial success. This one is set to do well—it’s practically designed for box office victory—and that makes me uneasy.”
Joudet also highlighted the film’s thematic elements:
“There’s a familiar attempt to romanticise the provincial comeback narrative, framed against the backdrop of Parisian elitism, with a token feminist subplot around abortion. But in truth, the film is powered almost entirely by its musical choices. It’s essentially a mash-up of karaoke and a Top Chef-style storyline. You can see all the right ingredients, but there’s very little actual cinema in the mix. Partir un jour reflects a cinematic trend that no longer knows how to unite audiences, leaning heavily instead on the unifying force of popular music.”
A Portrait of a Shifting Medium
Amélie Bonnin’s Partir un jour invites viewers into a world where emotional resonance is filtered through catchy melodies and glossy production. It poses questions about belonging, identity, and the sacrifices involved in chasing personal success—while simultaneously illustrating how the boundaries between film, television, and music are increasingly blurred.
Whether viewed as a clever cultural mirror or a packaged product crafted for mass appeal, Bonnin’s debut leaves no one indifferent. At a time when cinema itself is undergoing transformation, Partir un jour captures both the uncertainty and the undeniable charm of this new creative landscape.
