A middle-aged woman starved for love is in search of a lover. Isabelle is a Parisian painter and divorcée. She keeps dating various men in search of true love. Yet she is surrounded by married men looking to use her, or men with completely different backgrounds. The film begins with a close-up of Juliette Binoche’s face, and continues to follow this outstanding actress’s face and movements. Claire Denis’ camera captures the blundering Isabelle and the worthless and hollow married men surrounding her through long and short, snippy takes. The air between the so-so men and the woman is expertly expressed. Another point to watch out for is the superb performances by seasoned actors, including Xavier Beauvois, playing the image of a temperamental and egotistic married man, and Gérard Depardieu, acting the fortune teller with a mind-shattering way with words. Denis and Binoche work together in this talk of the town, which is the director’s 13th feature, as well as the opening film from the 2017 Directors’ Fortnight at the Cannes Film Festival. (RHEE Souewon)