| A Second Life | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Laurent Slama |
| Written by | Laurent Slama; Thomas Keumurian |
| Produced by | Maxime Montagne; Laurent Slama |
| Starring | Agathe Rousselle; Alex Lawther; Suzy Bemba; Jonas Bachan |
| Cinematography | Laurent Slama |
| Edited by | Souliman Schelfout |
| Music by | Jean-Charles Bastion |
Release date |
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Running time | 77 minutes |
| Country | France |
| Languages | English; French |
A Second Life is a 2025 French drama film written and directed by Laurent Slama and starring Agathe Rousselle and Alex Lawther. [1]
During the Olympic Games in Paris, Elisabeth, a hearing-impaired woman grappling with depression, manages short-term rentals while seeking respite from the city's chaos by removing her hearing aids. Her day shifts dramatically when she meets Elijah, a free-spirited Californian, and finds a rare connection amid the noise of the opening ceremony. [2] [3]
The film was largely shot on location in Paris during the 2024 Summer Olympics with a minimal crew. [4]
The world premiere was held at the Tribeca Film Festival on 6 June 2025 in the International Narrative Competition. [2] The film later screened as a Special Screening at the 59th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in July 2025. [5] [3]
The Hollywood Reporter wrote that the film "avoids most of the clichés of your touristy Paris-set drama, all while using the genuine magic of the French capital," and praised Agathe Rousselle for carrying "a compellingly off-the-cuff Paris movie". [6]
Cineuropa described it as "a beautiful platonic encounter" during the Paris Olympics, lauding its sensory depiction of Elisabeth’s perspective. [5] James Y. Lee of Film Obsessive called it "a dramatically anodyne experience, where even on a formal and visual level, there’s very little about the film that excels." [7]