Streaming Netflix

Love Songs (2007)

Directed by Christophe Honoré

Instead of worrying about how much time her boyfriend Ismael (Louis Garrel) spends with his coworker, Julie (Ludivine Sagnier) invites her to join them. This comes as no surprise to Julie’s mother, who is very curious about her daughter’s new way of life. Eventually, doubt and jealousy find their way into the relationship. Julie demands that Ismael choose between them even though he has told her that she is the only one he loves. Ismael and his coworker Alice (Clotilde Hesme) finally reassure Julie that their threesome can continue happily. And so it does – or at least until death strikes. The rest of the film shows us how the remaining characters deal with losing a loved one. Some characters try to get closer to each other while others isolate themselves. Eventually, they all find an escape to their suffering.

The Scent of Green Papaya (1993)

Directed by Tran Anh Hung

10-year-old Mui (Man San Lu) is introduced to a family as their new servant in 1950s Vietnam. The beginning of her stay is not easy. When she is cleaning floors the family’s mischievous son tips over her bucket of water, when she is tending the laundry he uses lizards to scare her. Being just a servant, there is nothing she can do about it. Mui soon learns about the rest of the family as well. She knows that whenever the family money disappears, the husband will be gone for a while. The faithful wife will always takes him back, even when his mother tells her he leaves because she is not good enough for him. She doesn’t have what it takes to keep a man for long. Mui then becomes a source of comfort to the wife, who begins to see her as if she were her own daughter. Years later, Mui is transferred to be in the service of a family friend. Eventually, they fall for each other, he teaches her to read and write, and they have a baby together.