When dedicated high school teacher Rachel (Virginie Efira) falls in love with Ali (Roschdy Zem), it’s not long before she also falls for his 4-year-old daughter Leila. The adolescent giddiness of Rachel and Ali’s late-night rendezvous and secret sleepovers evolves into the familiar warmth of family picnics and after-school pickups.
Although she feels like a mother, Rachel is not allowed to forget that Lelia is another woman’s daughter. She begins to long for a child of her own, but as a forty-something woman, she is abundantly aware that she has limited time to begin a family. Rachel must decide whether to embrace the inherent entanglements of her current situation, including the looming presence of Ali’s ex-wife Alice (Chiara Mastroanni) or strike out again on her own.
“Other People’s Children” becomes a soulful, sexy, and resolutely grown-up story of the elusive quest for agency and belonging.
"A gentle, heartfelt relationship drama about – and for – intelligent adults.” — Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian
"Virginie Efira stuns in moving rumination on parenting. A rare offering in its enlightened kindness, and a heartbreaking one, too. " — Rafaela Sales Ross, The Playlist
"Bittersweet and beautifully observed. Universally recognizable. The best film to date from writer-director Rebecca Zlotowski." — Guy Lodge, Variety
“Efira’s performance effortlessly grounds ‘Other People’s Children’ in a character who feels lived in and fully formed.” — Jihane Bousfiha, Screen Slate