Of all the buzzy films that premiered at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, like “Past Lives,” “Eileen,” and the Grand Jury Prize winner “A Thousand And One,” Ira Sachs‘ “Passages” is undoubtedly the sexiest. And by year’s end, it may rank higher than those other three on critics’ top 10 lists for 2023. In his follow-up to 2019’s “Frankie,” Sachs’ new film finds three Parisian adults caught in a love triangle that gets increasingly more sultry and complicated.
What’s more, “Passages” stars three of the continent’s most alluring young actors. Franz Rogowski plays Tomas, a filmmaker who starts a love affair with Adéle Exarchopoulous‘ Agathe, a schoolteacher. But Tomas is married to Ben Whishaw‘s Martin, who decides to strike up an affair of his own.
Here’s an official synopsis for “Passages,” courtesy of MUBI:
After completing his latest project, filmmaker Tomas impulsively begins a heated love affair with a young schoolteacher, Agathe. For Tomas, the novelty of being with a woman is an exciting experience that he is eager to explore despite his marriage to Martin. But when Martin begins his own affair, the mercurial Tomas refocuses his attentions on his husband. Set in contemporary Paris, PASSAGES charts an escalating battle of desire between three people, where want is a constant and happiness is just out of reach. Exquisitely shot and featuring honest, emotionally nuanced performances, Sachs has created a breathtakingly intimate and insightful drama exploring the complexities, contradictions, and cruelties of love and longing.
Along with its three leads, “Passages” also stars Erwan Kepoa Falé, Caroline Chaniolleau, and Olivier Rabourdin.
Along with directing, Sach co-writes “Passages” with Mauricio Zacharias. Saïd Ben Saïd and Michel Merkt co-produce the film.
Following its lauded world premiere at Sundance, “Passages” had its European premiere at the Berlinale in February, where it also did well. The Playlist’s review of the film out of Sundance praised Sach’s direction and especially Rogowski’s performance as Tomas. “Sachs doesn’t bother with explanations for Tomas’ self-destructive pathology,” writes our Charles Bramesco. “As he games out incompatibilities to their logical conclusions, he renders the variables in an imbalanced equation willful, messy, and, finally, human. With remarkable yet finite empathy, he disassembles a star-crossed trio’s desires, challenging his creations to grow wiser and stronger for it.”
MUBI brings “Passages” to theaters on August 4, so don’t miss out. Watch a new teaser for Sachs’ film below.
