Time to Leave (2005)

In the harsh glare of a life-threatening diagnosis, Romain, an accomplished 31-year-old fashion photographer, finds himself staring into the void of mortality. His world, once vibrant and filled with the click of shutters and flash of lights, suddenly dims under the shadow of a relentless malignancy that threatens to snuff out his existence in mere months. The choices he faces are daunting - to surrender to the cold sterility of chemotherapy or to stand defiant, preserving his own autonomy even as the sands of time slip through his fingers. Romain's decision is as startling as his prognosis: he chooses to face the end alone, removing himself from the suffocating sympathy of his lover and family. He becomes a solitary figure, his life now a poignant juxtaposition of nostalgic reminiscence and painful solitude. As he revisits fragments of his past - a childhood tree house, old photos, and the endless blue of the sea that echoes in his memories - he grapples with the reality of his looming demise. Yet, his journey is not one of sheer self-pity. A chance interaction with Jany, a waitress he encounters during his solitary sojourn, offers an unexpected lifeline. As Romain navigates his bleak reality, he finds himself torn between the comfort of solitude and the unforeseen proposition from the waitress. Faced with an empty flat and the echoes of a life left behind, Romain must weigh the scales of his existence and decide if he can find meaning and solace in the face of mortality. As Romain's journey unfolds, 'Time to Leave' paints an intimate and haunting portrait of a man wrestling with the inevitable, leaving the audience on a cliffhanger of emotion and introspection. Will he retreat further into his isolated shell or embrace the unexpected opportunities that life, even in its final stages, can offer?

Time to Leave is a drama movie featuring Melvil Poupaud and directed by François Ozon.

Time to Leave is currently streaming on Mubi.