Bonjour Tristesse Marks a Bold, Sun-Drenched Debut from Durga Chew-Bose

Chloë Sevigny and Lily McInerny deliver layered performances in Durga Chew-Bose’s haunting seaside coming-of-age drama.

Chloë Sevigny Shines in Durga Chew-Bose’s Stunning Debut Bonjour Tristesse

Greenwich Entertainment will release the acclaimed film in limited theaters beginning May 2

Chloë Sevigny anchors the striking directorial debut from writer-filmmaker Durga Chew-Bose in Bonjour Tristesse, a sun-soaked, emotionally rich adaptation of Françoise Sagan’s classic novel. The film follows Cécile, a complex and restless 18-year-old played by rising star Lily McInerny, who finds her quiet seaside summer unraveling when her late mother’s enigmatic friend Anne (Sevigny) enters the picture.

Set against the idyllic backdrop of the French coast, Cécile is vacationing with her charming, libertine father (Claes Bang) and his playful companion Elsa (Naïlia Harzoune). But the arrival of Anne—graceful, composed, and quietly commanding—upends the household. As admiration curdles into rivalry and youthful recklessness takes over, Cécile sets a plan in motion to reclaim control, with devastating consequences.

Bonjour Tristesse had its world premiere at TIFF and has been quietly gaining critical attention on the festival circuit, cementing Chew-Bose as a new voice to watch in independent cinema. The film was recently acquired by Greenwich Entertainment, and will begin its U.S. theatrical run in select cities starting May 2, with more markets opening throughout the month.

An intimate, visually elegant study of influence, desire, and the delicate power struggles between women, Bonjour Tristesse is a debut worth seeking out.

Opens May 2

New York, NY // IFC Center

Los Angeles, CA // Laemmle Royal, Laemmle Town Center

San Francisco, CA // Smith Rafael Film Center

Phoenix, AZ // Harkins Shea 14; Mary D. Fisher Theatre; AMC Ahwatukee

Sarasota, FL // Spotlight Theatres Luxury Stadium 11

Cincinnati, OH // Mariemont Theatre

Atlanta, GA // AMC Southlake Pavillion

Dallas-Ft. Worth, TX // AMC Stonebriar, AMC Mesquite, AMC Grapevine Nills

Houston, TX // AMC First Colony, AMY Gulf Pointe

Detroit, MI // AMC Forum

Philadelphia, PA // AMC Neshaminy, AMC Cherry Hills