It’s summertime, 2021. Isabelle Huppert plays Lioubov, Chekhov’s unforgettably heroine in The Cherry Orchard. In a near theatre, Fabrice Luchini recites Nietzsche. Both actors are premiering at Avignon’s Festival. When they leave backstage to stand out on stage, they are completely transformed. As everything seems utterly natural, audience does not imagine what happened before. By following their daily lives during the weeks preceding the premieres, Benoît Jacquot brings a singular perspective of the two actors and shows them like we’ve never seen before.
Where to watch
Where can I watch Par coeurs?
As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove does not list Par coeurs on any major US streaming service.
Episodic · 13% of films: Loosely connected incidents rather than one driving plot.Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats its subjects with a respectful, observational warmth, presenting their preparation without irony or distance.
The rideThe film maintains a quiet, observant mood throughout, building to the emotional release of the premieres.
StructureThe film follows the actors' daily lives in the weeks leading up to the premieres, suggesting an episodic structure built around rehearsals, but with a clear chronological arc from preparation to performance.
How it leaves you
what you carry away
Fired up.
Rousing · 10% of filmsThought-provoking
Why it leaves you this wayLeaves the viewer inspired by the actors' dedication and reflecting on the hidden labor of performance.
How it ends · evidence
Happy ending
The film culminates in the performances, showing the actors fully transformed on stage, the audience unaware of the months of preparation behind the seemingly effortless delivery.
Story archetype
where it sits among all films
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
No archetype fits — true of 22% of films: ensemble pieces, satire, slice-of-life.
Why this archetypeThe film is a documentary observing the daily lives of two actors preparing for performances, with no conventional plot archetype driving the narrative.
What it's about
7 groups · 53 themes
Every theme, clockwise from the top
Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
Self 22%: Identity 14% (this title) · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%