The Ties That Bind Us
Feminist bookstore owner Sandra Ferney (Valeria Bruni Tedeschi, "Human Capital," "Summer of 85") is flustered when Cécile (Mélissa Barbaud), her neighbor across the hall, suddenly thrusts her six year-old son Elliott (César Botti) at her, telling her her water's just broken and she had offered to look after the boy, something Sandra has no recollection of. Having to work, Sandra gropes around for backup, her sister Marianne (Florence Muller, 2024's "The Count of Monte Cristo") arriving at the bookstore to take charge of Elliott, but when Cécile's husband Alex (Pio Marmaï, "Happening") returns long after Elliott's fallen asleep, the look on his broken face tells Sandra a tragedy has befallen this family in "The Ties That Bind Us."
Laura's Review: B+
The 2026 César winner for Best Film, Adapted Screenplay and Supporting Actress, an adaptation of Alice Ferney's novel 'L'Intimité' by cowriter (with Raphaële Moussafir & Agnès Feuvre)/director Carine Tardieu, is a moving, deeply human example of the old adage 'it takes a village to raise a child.' Featuring a luminous performance from the great Valeria Bruni Tedeschi and an engaging debut from César Botti, Tardieu's film plays something like a domestic drama crossed with a romantic comedy.
Sandra, cigarette perpetually in right hand, tells the inquisitive Elliott that she never saw marriage and children in her future yet we can see right away she'd make a wonderful mother, her natural repartee with the little boy quickly claiming his affection. It is Sandra who is wise enough to advise Alex not to wake the child with the devastating news of the loss of his mother, sheltering both men overnight. She will also be who Elliott turns to wondering if now Alex will love his newborn sister, Lucille, more than him, revealing to her that Alex is not his dad. When he wanders over to Sandra's during his mom's funeral reception in his own apartment, a distraught Alex will lash out at her, having panicked over Elliott's disappearance, sparking a push pull relationship between the two.
The passage of time is noted with title cards announcing Lucille's current age, at nine months Alex declaring his love for Sandra only to be told that he is channeling his grief. Yet Bruni Tedeschi makes it clear that Sandra has feelings for this man which her character is too ethical to allow him to see. Enter Emillia Demetriu (Vimala Pons, "Elle"), who would be a romcom's third act obstacle if this movie was one, Alex's attractive new doctor who quickly makes a play for him.
It is refreshing to see movie characters behaving like adults while still conveying the messiness of human emotions and relationships. Emillia awkwardly admits her recognition of Sandra's importance in Alex's life to the woman in an attempt to throttle her jealousy. Alex must navigate the reemergence of Elliott's father David (Raphaël Quenard, "Smoking Causes Coughing") who also makes a play for Sandra. Another generation adds more perspective, Cécile's mother (Catherine Mouchet, "Thérèse") seeing her daughter in Lucille, Sandra's mother Marianne (Marie-Christine Barrault, "Cousin, Cousine") a real pip who obviously favors the sibling more aligned with her own values.
The two years we follow these characters feature many life events after the death which causes all these paths to cross. There will be a move, a wedding, Christmas and dashed vacation plans as Tardieu gradually widens her scope beyond two Parisian apartments. Yet for all the circumstances that intervene in people's plans, "The Ties That Bind Us" illustrates that the connections made during times of strife may be the strongest.
Robin's Review: B+
Sandra is a book dealer in her 50s and leads a quiet, secluded life. One day her very pregnant neighbor, Cecile, begs her to watch her young son, Elliott, for the day. Then, Cecile's husband Alex returns and tells her that his wife has died in childbirth. Life will change for Sandra in "The Ties That Bind Us."
Spinster Sandra is an observer of the life that goes on behind the door across the hall. That changes, suddenly, when asked to babysit young Elliott. To paraphrase from "Casablanca (1942)," it is the beginning of a beautiful friendship as the older woman and the boy grow close, becoming each other's family.
This all happens when his dad, Alex, comes for Elliott and tells Sandra about Cecile's death. He also tells her about baby Lucille and the filmmakers use the baby's milestones – one day old, two months old, three months, seven months and so on – as the chapters in the extended family's life.
As Sandra's existence changes, so does Alex's when he meets and falls for a pretty pediatrician, Emilia. They marry and now Sandra's new family grows larger and Elliott becomes more and more attached to her. It is not a mother-child bond, though. For Sandra and Elliott it is something more, something that is greater than a mere bloodline,
Valeria Bruni Tedeschi is marvelous as the very complicated but grounded businesswoman. She may have never married, but there is a great deal of love in her heart and that love is shown for Elliott. The two have more of a bond than just family, they are friends who love each other. And, the way Tedeschi and little Cesar Botti behave with each other, that affection seems genuine.
Director Carine Tardieu cowrote the script with Alice Ferney and Raphaele Moussafir and the film's strong statement about family shows that it is more than the nuclear kind with mom, dad and the kids. In our brave new world, that family can now include once-were-strangers and it is about love ties more than blood ties.
"The Tie That Binds Us" is available to stream and on DVD on 4/28/26 from Icarus Films.
