Ben (Gilles Lellouche, Daaaaaali! - SFFF 2024, All Your Faces - Fall Virtual Screenings 2023) and Laura (Mélanie Thierry, See You Up There - MiniFest 2017), a long-time couple, are sailing around the world. The end of their trip is near and, on a whim, they decide to take a detour for a day hike on a vast deserted island near the Antarctic coast. Surprised by a violent storm, they must spend the night in an abandoned whaling station. The next morning they awake to find their boat is gone!

Suddenly alone in a hostile environment, with no means of communication, dwindling supplies, and winter fast approaching, Ben and Laura have to unite in a life and death battle for survival that will test the strength of their relationship.

With only two characters and one location, not only is Suddenly a tremendously suspenseful and gorgeous survival/adventure film, it is also a fantastic love story.

We waited a whole year to show you Suddenly! Last year, we had even hoped to open the Festival with it, but were not able to secure the film. We are particularly happy for this second chance to share it with you. The film is based on a novel by navigator Isabelle Autissier, the first woman to have sailed around the world solo in competition. It is the third film by director Thomas Bidegain, the longtime writing partner of Jacques Audiard (Emilia Pérez, Rust and Bone, A Prophet).