Impulsive and rakish, Luc is in Paris only briefly to become certified as a cabinetmaker—but long enough to ensorcel a beautiful young woman he picks up at a bus stop. Soon he’s juggling three relationships, but really only one—with his own ego.

Philippe Garrel’s exquisite new film—about a rake’s wayward desires and inability to truly respect the women in his life—is a gem of a moral tale from the post-New Wave legend. Premiering in the Berlinale’s competition, it is co-written by the late Jean-Claude Carrière and shot on luminous 35mm.