Love at First Fight

English Title: Love at First Fight

Thomas Cailley’s quirky comedy LOVE AT FIRST FIGHT brings together reserved Arnaud and brusque Madeleine on a hot summer day at the beach. Arnaud is ready to relax with his two best friends. Yet, unbeknownst to him, they just signed Arnaud up for a self-defense demonstration, and his all-too-eager opponent is Madeleine. Although she pins him to the ground with ease, Arnaud impulsively bites Madeleine in order to break free and save face. The tension between them heightens when Arnaud is later hired to build a shed behind Madeleine’s family home. At work, Arnaud witnesses Madeleine’s peculiar habits—from swimming with a weighted backpack, to eating raw puréed fish, to contemplating the end of the world—and finds himself attracted to her, despite her blatant disinterest. In a last-ditch effort to win her heart, Arnaud follows Madeleine to a two-week army training camp, where their relationship and their lives are tested. (In French with subtitles) – E.B.