Things to Come

After years of teaching philosophy at a Paris high school, Nathalie Chazeaux finds meaning in the small pleasures of daily thought. She thrives on sharing ideas with students, debating ideas with friends, and tending to a crowded family life that includes a loving husband, two children, and the sometimes smothering mother. Then the balance tilts: her husband announces he is leaving for another woman, and the life she has built begins to unspool. With freedom thrust upon her, Nathalie faces questions about identity, ambition, and purpose. She begins to rethink friendships, work, and what happiness might look like in a quieter, more self directed future, one day at a time.

Directed by Mia Hansen-Løve and released in 2016, Things to Come is an original drama not adapted from another work, letting Isabelle Huppert carry a quiet, forceful portrait of a woman reassessing her inner life after upheaval and newfound freedom.

The film earned praise for Huppert's restrained performance and Hansen-Løve's precise direction. It centers on personal growth, intellectual life, and the resilience of a middle aged woman navigating change, where ordinary choices, friendships, and duties shape a fragile sense of independence. Critics applauded its calm pace and humane observations worldwide.

Cultural impact centers on its portrayal of a woman choosing autonomy over conventional happiness. The film has been cited in discussions of midlife independence and the value of intellectual life in everyday existence, highlighting a style that favors observation over spectacle and a director's honest gaze in contemporary cinema today.

The film earned César nominations including Best Actress for Isabelle Huppert and Best Director for Mia Hansen-Løve, reflecting its broad critical acclaim. It also appeared on major critics year end lists and helped establish Hansen-Løve as a significant voice in European cinema. The film's steady approach attracted thoughtful, diverse debates.