Romain (Poupaud) is a successful fashion photographer. He lives in Paris with his younger boyfriend, has an open relationship with his doting mother and supportive father. He hates his sister but loves her children. With echoes of Ozon’s Under the Sand, here is a deceptively simple tale of loss and longing. Whereas death featured as an option in the former, it becomes undeniable when Romain is diagnosed with terminal cancer. Accorded very little time, he sets about straightening the record by summarily dismissing friends and family. Ozon’s finely tuned narrative is a studied exercise in precision that blossoms under his light direction. Contrary to more conventional stories, Ozon’s protagonist is extremely difficult to like, muchless understand. Having enjoyed very tender (and graphic) sex with his lover, Romain throws him out of their home without explanation.

Thus A Time to Leave rests largely on Poupaud’s enigmatic performance and he rises to the task with affecting skill. Throughout he maintains an engaging presence despite Romain’s horrendous and alienating behaviour. The cause for his misanthropic carry-on - only his relationship with his grandmother (Moreau) holds any compassion - is never fully disclosed yet Poupaud fills these apparent gaps with meaning. His is a gutsy performance that is at once shrill, serene, expressive and reserved. Despite the film’s brevity, there is a moody, wide-screen tone about the provocative story that lingers. A Time to Leave is a small yet perfectly formed miniature imbued with a sad longing. It is touching yet free of emotional hysterics, distressing yet eerily calm. It is certainly one of Ozon’s finest works.

// COLIN FRASER