Presented from the point-of-view of David (Vincent Lacoste, In Bed with Victoria; Saint Amour, AF FFF2017) – symbiotically embodying French youth and earnest hope in the one character – Amanda unfurls as a family drama, although one that gets shaken to its core by a sudden act of violence.

Described by Variety as having an “at once beautiful and wonky [face], shaped by mischief and worry, like a [Jean-Paul] Belmondo reflected in the surface of a choppy lake”, David is a carefree 20-something in the throes of a new romance with Lena (Stacy Martin, Redoubtable, AF FFF2018). He lives a carefree life until an incident abruptly forces him to assume the guardianship of his seven-year-old niece, Amanda (a revelatory turn by newcomer Isaure Multrier).

Collective mourning and its subsequent road to recovery, are given an all-too human face in Amanda, beautifully crafted through Lacoste’s performance. Amid the seriousness, this film is a exquisite valentine to the beauty and eccentricities of Paris, and will not fail to send hearts aflutter for those Francophiles who have such a love for this city and everything it offers.