Childhood friends Dog and Mirales live in a village in the South of France with little to do—teasing Dog mercilessly is Mirales’ favorite pastime. But with the arrival of newcomer Elsa, this summer is different. Romance soon blossoms between Elsa and Dog, while jealousy eats away at Mirales.

A coming-of-age tale with neo-western stylings, Jean-Baptiste Durand’s taut debut is a riveting look at how overfamiliarity can breed both contempt and dependence. As the ferocious extrovert of two friends who clash in the malaise of rural life, Raphaël Quenard is a spellbinding presence.